A Change of Heart
by dance.in.the.rain180
Summary: Walking away was the biggest mistake she ever made. Now, 120 years later, she's been given a second chance. But between his unforgiving anger and the world thrown into turmoil, how can she ever make things right? OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! Just a few quick notes before you begin reading. First off, I originally had this posted on Quizilla forever ago under a different username. It might still be there... I don't really know, it's been a while since I've been there. So if you're an old quizilla user and this sounds familiar, then it's quite possible you've already read it. However, it is undergoing major changes.

Second, this story has an original character and some of the timeline is slightly altered. The main thing to know is that this starts when Hiei lives with the thieves, but will eventually lead to meeting Yusuke and the rest of them. The biggest difference is at the beginning during the first four chapters about Hiei's past. Most of it is accurate, but I changed the smallest things to make it work for me. Well, no more stalling. :)

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

Smoke. Blood. Screaming. Fire. Pain. _C__heering_.

The village sat at the base of a large, grassy hill and was surrounded by a luscious, green forest that had been there for centuries. Usually, this small town was filled with peace. It wasn't a large city, like those filled with bars, violence, and prostitution. It was a community brought together by a strict social order. Everyone had their place and they knew where they stood. For the most part, there was minimal contention. When problems arose, they were brought before the leader of their town, who would lay out a fair resolution. Firm laws were set in place and to not follow them was unheard of due to the harsh punishments. But all-in-all, everyone lived comfortably and happily. It was just a small, calm, happy town.

Usually.

A scream resonated through the air, sounding above the cheering mass of people in the center square. The quaint shops surrounding the mob forced them to stand close together, the smell of angry sweat and the feeling of fear, fury and triumph hung thickly in the air. Not to mention the beginning scent of burning wood and flesh.

In the very middle of this horde of demons was a ten foot pole, standing straight up toward the darkening sky and engulfed in flames. A cat demon, looking to be in her mid-thirties or so, was tied to it. The edges of her neon-orange hair were singed from the fire. Her blue eyes were wide with pain and red cat ears twitched this way and that. Her matching red tail thrashed violently, trying to escape the heat.

She screamed again, the fire licking at her flesh hungrily. The air was beginning to smell of cooking meat and blisters appeared on her skin. Off to the side, a group of dog demons held her young 15-year-old daughter by the arms, preventing her from any form of escape. Her orange hair, identical to her mother's, hung limply in her tear streaked face. "MOM!" she screamed, struggling in vain against her captors. On an ordinary day, she would have been able to free herself—they weren't that strong—but this wasn't an ordinary day and the girl was too upset to really use her strength. "Let her go! Please! Just let her go!" the woman's daughter sobbed, near hysteria.

Another woman in the crowd, a fox well known and respected in the village, stepped forward angrily and stood in front of the young girl. Raising her hand, she swiftly brought it down and across girl's cheek, leaving it tingling with pain. "Be quiet, girl! You're next!" the woman snarled above the continuous cheers of the others. She spat at the woman's daughter. The glob of saliva ran down her shirt and hit the ground but the girl didn't care.

"A…ki…na…" the woman at the stake said, her head hanging low. The sound of her voice was wracked with pain and it barely carried over the sound of the crowd. The girl's silver ear twitched as her sensitive cat hearing picked up her mother's words. "Get out of here...save yourself..."

The young girl, Akina, stared at her mother through the golden eyes she had inherited from her father, tears never ceasing. "I can't just leave you!"

"Akina, listen to me!" the woman said hoarsely, causing her daughter to fall silent as she finally raised her head. "You're young! You need to live!" Her lips were chapped from the heat and Akina stared up at her, wanting so badly to be able to help her. "Find your father! Don't-"

"Quiet, bitch! The only place your daughter is going is straight to hell!" another woman in the crowd shrieked, picking up a rock at her feet. With her face twisted in concentration, she pulled the rock back and let it loose. It hurtled through the smoky air and connected solidly with the woman's stomach with a dull thud. She gave a small grunt of pain but kept a defiant look on her face. It was obvious she wouldn't last much longer.

"You will never be able to touch my daughter. She's stronger than you think. She'll escape and live a happy life. She'll-" The orange-haired woman was cut off as the other villagers follow the fox's example and began chucking rocks at her. She took it all without a sound as Akina sobbed quietly on the side. "Stop it...please..." she whispered pleadingly.

Akina's mother turned to look one last time at her precious daughter, her eyes the only thing revealing how much pain she was in. She stared at Akina and their eyes locked. "I'm sorry Akina. I love you so much...please forgive me," she said, just loud enough to be heard. She stared at Akina for just a second longer before her face twisted in agony and she fell limp for the last time.

"NOO!" Akina screamed, trying to break free of the demons holding her arms. She pulled as hard as she could, panic rising into her chest and clawing at her. Her breaths were coming fast as she hyperventilated and screams tore at her throat but she didn't care, too consumed as she was by the knowledge that her mother was truly dead. "NOOOO!" A fresh wave of cheers erupted from the crowd. Some clapped, some whistled, most cheered. All save one boy who stood to the side, watching with evident horror and sorrow written all over his face. "She didn't do anything! How can you just kill an innocent woman?" Akina screamed as the men holding her firmly began walking her towards the still burning stake. Toward her death. She planted her feet into the ground but it was no use.

A man walked forward and stood in front of Akina, towering over her. Her captors stopped walking and the crowd fell silent out of respect. His black eyes were cold and hard as they stared down at the girl before him. As he stood there, his forked tongue appeared before immediately disappearing in a reptilian way. She stared up at him, trying to calm her breathing. "Shut up, wench," he said. "Your whore of a mother was anything but innocent. She signed her death wish when she had you. And now that she's not here to stop us, we will kill you once and for all."

Akina froze and stopped breathing altogether. Her gold eyes widened, then narrowed and her silver cat tail twitched as a temporary spell of anger came over her. They could beat her and call her names, spit at her and drag her toward her death. But kill her mother and then call her a whore? That's where Akina drew the line. The snake demon, also the leader of the town, noticed the flash of anger in her eyes and smirked. "Try all you want, girl, but you'll never be able to kill us all. Besides, you can't even move," he sneered, gesturing to the men pinning her arms to her sides.

The young cat growled low in her throat as her demon energy gathered around her. With an angry yell of frustration, she blasted some energy into her arms, causing the dog demons holding her to yelp and jump back as her arms became too painful to hold. With another yell, she leaped forward, sliding a dagger from a sheath on her wrist to her hand and attacked the snake before her. In less than an instant, he was on the ground, unable to make noise as his throat was sliced open. A pool of blood began to form around him.

Everything fell deathly silent. The only sound was that of the fire crackling as it consumed the stake and the remains of the woman. Around her, the mob was in shock, having just witnessed the murder of their town leader. Akina stared down at the man, lost in hatred before a turning back to her mother. She had already forgotten the snake.

There wasn't much left of the older cat demon, just charred bones and flesh that fell away in chunks. The smell of cooked meat and burning flesh filled the air completely now. Tears pricked at her eyes and threatened to fall again as she realized that she was alone. Her family was gone. Well, there was still Kagami but she had disappeared a few days before to take care of her daughter. And she wasn't even blood related. For that matter, she was a human. But none of that mattered at that moment in time. Even though Akina knew her own life was at risk, her mind flashed back to a memory, right there in the middle of an angry city who wanted to see her dead.

_It was late in the evening. The sun was just barely sinking behind the mountains, leaving just enough light to see one's surroundings. In a hut on the outskirts of the village, a mother sat inside on the floor, her 6-year-old daughter in front of her as she brushed it through the little girl's hair. They were laughing at something Akina had said. The atmosphere was light and happy._

_"Mommy?" Akina started after a minute of silence._

_"Hmm?" her mother, Takara, replied. Her voice sounded as though her mind was far off in a distant place._

_"Why did daddy leave?" Akina asked softly in that cute, little voice six year olds usually have. She knew her mommy didn't like to talk about it but all the kids she knew had daddies. She'd seen it. How come they got to play with their daddies but she didn't?_

_The brush stopped moving halfway through Akina's orange hair and Takara gave a small sigh as she debated on how to answer. "Because he loves us," Takara answered softly, pulling the brush the rest of the way through._

_"But if he loves us, why didn't he stay here?" Akina asked, turning around to face her mother. She cocked her head to one side, waiting for an answer._

_Takara smiled sadly and placed the brush off to the side then folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Well, he did some things that weren't very good and he wanted to protect us and make sure we didn't get hurt because of him." Absentmindedly, Takara's right hand wandered up to the back of her neck. Her fingers moved back and forth, feeling the indention—the bite mark—her mate left behind. It was the sign that she had been claimed, the most sacred signs amongst the demons. It meant that she was his and no one else's. It was irreversible._

_"Is that why the kids won't talk to me and the grown-ups are mean to me? Because he did something bad?" Akina asked with dawning realization. If this was so, then it would explain a lot._

_"Yes," Takara replied sadly, bringing her hand down back into her lap. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest, longing for her mate, but she pushed the familiar feeling back. This was a pain she had become accustomed to in the last six years. "But don't blame them, they're just scared. They're scared that you'll become powerful like your daddy."_

_Akina shifted so she was kneeling on the floor, her hands on her knees. "Well, I think he should have stayed. If I were him, I would have. I wouldn't leave someone I love. And if I did decide to leave, I'd take them with me," Akina declared solemnly._

_"You never know, Akina. Love does funny things to people," Takara replied, looking down at her young daughter. She felt her heart swell and burst with the love and pity she had for her little girl. The others in the village always picked on her, just because of her father. At times, Takara wondered the same things Akina did: why did he leave? And at other times, she cursed herself: why hadn't she gone with him?_

_"You won't leave me, will you mommy?" Akina asked, eyes wide as she crawled forward, moving her hands from her own knees to the older cat's knees as she stared up into her mother's face. "You'll always be here? Forever?"_

_Takara gazed down into her daughters golden eyes. 'So much like her father's...' she mused to herself. "I will never leave you, Akina. I promise." With that she reached forward and grabbed the half cat, half fox. Squeezing her tightly, she turned her onto her back in her arms and began tickling her sides. Akina's childish squeals rang through the air as she pleaded for her mother to stop._

"You promised me you wouldn't leave me alone," Akina whispered. The heat of the fire was on her face, almost to the point of pain but she refused to back away. Tears pricked once again at her eyes, and finally spilled over, streaming down her already tear-stained cheeks. "Where do I go now? I don't have anybody—"

"Akina!" The call of her name brought her back to the situation at hand. The young boy, the one who refused to participate in the cheering, stood off to the side of the angry mob. They were coming out of their daze and the looks on their faces were murderous. "Run!" he screamed, waving his hands, motioning for her to come to him. With tears still streaming steadily, she looked around wildly for a place to run, to get to the boy who was willing to help her. The crowd was beginning to move toward her, hate driving them forward. There was no way out.

An idea came to her and she disappeared suddenly. Everyone looked around wildly and the shouts of "Where'd she go?" could be heard.

"There she is!" shouted the kitsune woman that had slapped her earlier. A little silver kitten could be seen on the ground, running swiftly through the legs of the throng. After nearly being trampled, she made it to the boy and changed back into her original form. He looked at her, his eyes filled with concern, but quickly turned to the angry crowd. He twisted his hands into different signs while chanting under his breath. His eyes were closed in deep concentration as a blue shield of crackling electricity appeared in between the crowd and the two kids.

"Nyoko..." Akina said through a sob, staring at the young boy.

In truth, he was more of an adult at this point, rather than a child. He was 16 years of age, one year older than Akina. He had long, dark brown hair that was always pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. His dark green eyes were always friendly and held a smile. His face was angular, cheekbones prominent.

While growing up, Akina had been shunned but one little boy had always been by her side. They played together, laughed together, got in fights with the other children together. Sometimes, his parents banned him from seeing her, saying she was the cursed child and had bad blood but he always said he didn't care and snuck out to play with her: Akina was his friend and he was hers. He taught her what it meant to be accepted. He taught her what it meant to be a friend. He taught her what it meant to be loved.

He often teased her for being so short. While she stood at about 4'8" and would not grow any more, he was about 5'4" and would eventually be 6'7". He often teased her, calling her "shorty" though he never meant it to be rude. The truth was, while everyone hated and loathed this girl, just because of her parentage, young Nyoko had fallen madly in love with his little friend.

He never dropped his hands as he turned slightly to look at the distressed girl, his emerald eyes piercing into her. "Run Akina. I can't hold them off for very long but at least you'll get a head start." Akina started to protest, to tell him that he could not endanger himself for her. But the electric demon cut her off. "Damn it, Akina, run!" Nodding dumbly, she turned and darted into the thick forest, not looking back at the only friend she ever had and not knowing if she would ever see him again.

She stumbled through the trees, tears blinding her and sobs shaking her body. She was only able to run a short distance before cheers sounded out and reached the neko's sensitive ears. Panicking and realizing that Nyoko could no longer hold them back, she tried to run faster, for she was not running at even half her usual speed. If she was able to just calm down a little, she could either run faster or stop and fight. But as it was, she was hysterical and could do nothing but pray that she get away.

As if hearing her very thoughts, a young boy dropped out of a tree and landed in front of the neko. Akina stumbled in surprise and stopped abruptly, almost falling forward. She caught herself and stared at him.

He was dressed in all black and had black hair with a white starburst in the front. He was about two inches taller than her, making him shorter than most people. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he looked disgruntled, almost like he had been woken up. Akina looked over her shoulder and saw that the mob had decided to take the term to heart and had brought out the torches. There were only a few people in pursuit, all men, and they were getting closer. Akina rounded on the boy in front of her, desperate. "Please. Help me. I'm begging you..." She fell to her knees and looked pleadingly up at the boy. He stared down at her, startled, and then looked back up at the angry mob.

"Hn," is all he said in reply. He sidestepped the girl and stood behind her. She heard the sound of metal and, standing up again, turned around only to see the boy with a katana drawn.

"No! Don't kill them!" she pleaded. He looked over his shoulder, surprise obvious in his features. "They don't know what they're doing. They're just afraid. Please don't kill them," Akina begged, taking a step forward. The boy in black looked back to the approaching mob, not saying anything except another "hn" before disappearing. Akina blinked once or twice. Did he just leave her to fend for herself? Confused and terrified once again, Akina turned to run but stopped when she heard yells and muffled thuds. Looking at the mob she watched as they collapsed and torches were put out. A blur moved around them but finally stopped when all members of the mob were down. Akina, tears still running down her face, took a cautious step forward. There was not one single drop of blood on any of them. The boy glared at them, his katana hanging loosely in his hand at his side.

Akina stared at the men on the ground. She turned her attention to the boy. "Thank y-" She stopped when he turned on her and pointed his katana to her throat.

"Who are you?" he asked, speaking for the first time. "Why were they after you?"

She looked down at the katana, then back up at the face of the boy. Hard, crimson eyes stared back at her. Akina dropped to her knees and touched her forehead to the grass in a respectful bow; the manners her mother taught her were taking over.

"My name is Akina," she said softly, voice slightly muffled by the ground. Her heart was racing and it was taking a lot of willpower to be able to focus on what she was saying. "Thank you for helping me." She sat back up so she was kneeling and stuffed her shaking hands into her lap. The mob was no longer chasing her, but she still felt the panic. "May I ask who you are so I can thank you properly?" she asked. Her voice didn't betray the fear she still felt. The boy continued to glare at her, his katana pointed in her direction. They stared at each other, neither one moving. Finally, after a moment, the boy sheathed his katana and turned to the side.

"Why would I tell you my name?" he asked bitterly.

Akina wiped her cheeks and frowned at the boy. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. That helped and she opened her eyes. "I just wanted to know so I could-"

"Hiei, boy! Where are you?" a deep voice yelled, the sound ringing through the trees. Hiei whipped around to look past the girl he just saved and glared hard when he saw who it was. Akina, however, paid no attention to the arriving group of people.

"Hiei, is it? Well, then, thank you Hiei." she said, face straight and emotionless. Her tears finally stopped falling and her breathing was beginning to come easier as an eerie calm began taking over her. A distant thought in the back of her mind told her she was going into shock. She looked down at herself and realized in a detached sort of way that she was covered with the snake demon's blood. _'I must look awful,' _she thought to herself. Her hair was disheveled and her face pale from running. Her silver cat ears were covered in blood and small patches of soot covered her here and there. She realized she didn't care.

"Oooh, what have we got here?" the new voice said, this time right behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Akina turned around to come face to face with another group of men, only four of them this time. Thankfully, it was obvious they weren't after her but rather Hiei. It would never cease to amaze her, however, that no matter how bad she looked, even if she was covered in blood and dirt like she was then, someone could always find some perverted comment to make.

One of the men was staring at her. His eyes raked up and down her body before stopping on her face. A suggestive smile slowly spread across his face and his expression turned lustful. "Well, well. Who are you, sweet thing? You lookin' for a good time?"

Akina grunted in disapproval. Had she not just watched her mother burn to death, been chased down by a mob, and left everything she'd ever known behind, she probably would have lunged forward to kill the idiot that dared to speak to her that way. But those things did happen and she was exhausted. The adrenaline rush and fear was beginning to subside, leaving her swaying on her feet, unable to move and her thoughts moving at a sluggish pace.

The demon, mistaking her lack of response as acceptance, started to move forward but to her—and the man's—utter amazement, Hiei stepped in front the girl he saved only moments before, blocking her from the man's view. The man stopped and smirked. "Oh. Sorry, Hiei. Didn't realize she was yours." This caused snickers from the other three men.

"Looks like Hiei's finally growing up," one of the others said, not noticing as Hiei's eyes narrowed in anger. The four snickered for a second longer before facing Hiei, who was still standing almost protectively in front of the confused Akina.

The third guy, the one who had yelled for Hiei when they first arrived, spoke up again. "The boss wants to see you, boy," he said. His tone was bored and it was clear that he didn't appreciate being sent as a messenger. The distaste he had for this boy was obvious. "Now," he added when he noticed that Hiei didn't intend to move. Hiei remained planted firmly before the girl. "We'll meet you there," the man growled as he and the other three turned and walked away.

Hiei glared after them. He didn't move right away, his body rigid with irritation, but after a moment he grunted and began to follow the others, not even looking back at the girl.

Akina watched his retreating back and sighed, the air leaving her in a loud whoosh. The light was slowly fading around her and the temperature was beginning to drop. She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself. All the while, she looked around, thinking. _'Where am I going to go?' _She dropped her hands with another sigh and looked up at the sky. _'Obviously I can't go back,'_ she thought, throwing a glance in the direction of her village. _'I guess I could-'_

A deep groan from behind her cut off her train of thought. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that the men who had been chasing her were starting to wake up. She swore as she noticed this, too exhausted to run again.

She jumped when she felt something grab her wrist. She whipped around and took an involuntary step backward when she saw crimson eyes staring into her golden ones. "What are you doing?" Hiei asked, sounding irritated.

"I was...I mean I don't..." she stammered, confused. She thought he had left. She didn't expect him to come back. "I don't have anywhere to go. I was just trying to figure out where I could sleep for the night," she mumbled, looking at the ground after receiving an impatient glare. She swayed slightly, another wave of fatigue rocking her. He stared at her for a minute, a thoughtful look taking over his features, his hand still clasped firmly around her wrist. After a moment of silence, he grunted, then turned and walked away, pulling the orange-haired half-neko behind him.

She stumbled behind him, trying to catch her balance. He slowed slightly and let go of her wrist, allowing her regain her stability. He continued walking, though, and it was evident that she was meant to follow. They kept walking for about an hour or so. The four men were visible up ahead, nothing but mere specks in the distance. Hiei kept a brisk pace, but stayed slow enough to make sure that the half neko half kitsune could keep up.

Akina walked in silence, oblivious to everything around her. She felt numb, detached. Her eyes never left Hiei's back. He was her only lifeline right now and she had no intention of letting go of him anytime soon. She followed him like a moth to a flame, unable to turn away. She allowed herself to fall into her thoughts and concentrated on one thing only: how her life just fell through her fingers like sand. She had never had it easy but at least she had a home and family, a mother who smiled at her and told Akina how much she loved her. She'd had a friend that cared about her, a friend she may never see again. A sudden surge of hysteria bubbled up inside her chest and she quickly pushed it away.

Instead she refocused her thoughts to the boy in front of her, much more pressing matters coming forward. Why was he taking care of her like this? _Where_was he taking her? Who were those men?

Finally, they neared their destination. The black, starless night was hanging around them like a sheet, allowing only several feet of visibility. The two young demons stumbled out of the forest and onto a dirt road that lead into the town. Up ahead, the sounds of drunkards and late night brawls reverberated through the air, getting louder as the two came closer and closer until finally, they were in the city boundaries.

Akina stared around her, forgetting her sorrows for a brief moment as they walked through the town. Her eyes were wide as new sights, sounds, and smells bombarded her. Bars and cheap motels lined both sides of the road. Slutty women stood on the streets, skimpy clothes barely covering them, smiling suggestively at passing male demons. Gangs huddled together, looking threateningly at anyone who dared walk past them. This place was practically the exact opposite of her town.

Hiei ignored it all, a slight look of distaste taking control of his features, though he tried to hide it. About halfway into the town, he turned and walked into a bar with a motel above it. This one seemed to be slightly calmer, but not by much. As they stepped through the door, Akina looked around her then to Hiei, wondering what was going on. Why were they here?

Drunken men—thieves by the look of it—filled the tables and lined the walls. Some had scantily clad prostitutes, most of which were kitsunes, sitting in their laps or wrapped in their arms. Smoke hung thickly in the air like a fog, sucking out the oxygen. The smell of alcohol and sex was potent, making her gag slightly. The light in the room was low. The bartender had a bored scowl on his face as he cleaned dirty beer mugs with a rag, waiting for someone to order something to drink. The four men from earlier were over in a corner talking to a few other men. All of them were laughing heartily about something but turned their heads in the direction of the doors when the two short demons walked in. Some of them started cheering, others started whooping when they saw that it was Hiei. "Hiei! Finally decided to become a man, did ya, boy?" one of the men in the corner shouted. Hiei shot him a glare and said nothing as Akina felt herself turning beet red, a scowl also appearing on her face.

Hiei started forward, ignoring everyone in the room and their jeering comments. He walked through the room and to a staircase in the back, but when he noticed Akina wasn't following, he turned around to see her still staring. He marched back over to her and grabbed her wrist for the second time that day. "Stupid cat. C'mon," he grumbled, pulling her gently behind him. More whistles erupted as people watched this, causing Akina to blush even harder but she tried to ignore it like Hiei was.

"Remember, the boss wants ta talk ta ya, boy!" one of the men yelled out. Hiei didn't look at him, just waved him off in irritation. He walked up the stairs and down a hall, stopping in front of a door. He turned the knob and pushed it open, revealing a small room. In the far right corner, there was a small bed. A light colored dresser sat next to it, and small sack full of something was on the floor between the two. No other furniture was in the room, leaving it nearly bare and lacking a personal touch.

The fire demon pulled Akina in front of him and lightly pushed her inside the room. Despite the fact that a scowl seemed permanently etched on his face, he was very gentle, handling her with care. She turned around to look at him, confused. "Stay here," he ordered. "I'll be back in a minute. And try not to touch anything," he added, turning on his heel and closing the door behind him. Complete darkness consumed the young half neko.

Akina stared through the darkness. _'Not like there's much to touch anyway,'_ she couldn't help but think through the haze of her mind. She yawned tiredly, the exhaustion becoming too much for her to push aside now that she knew she was safe. Her eyes began to droop. Stumbling over her feet through the darkness, she managed to find her way to the bed, sitting at the foot of it. With a small pop, she disappeared, a small, silver kitten sitting in her place. She stood on the bed and circled around, trying to find someplace comfortable. Finally, she plopped down in a ball. Nearly instantly, she was fast asleep, her tail pulled up against her.

Several minutes later, the door opened, allowing a sliver of light to shoot into the room. A short figure entered, one arm full of blankets and a candle in the other hand. The light cast a flickering glow. "You can stay in here for tonight," Hiei said, voice still irritable. "I brought you some blankets. You can sleep in the..." he trailed off when he realized that no one was in the room. He looked around and his eyes landed on a silver kitten sleeping peacefully at the foot of his bed. He blinked in surprise, then sighed heavily before throwing the blankets into the corner. He mumbled something about "this is what I get for saving her life" and walked over to the side of his bed. "Stupid koneko..." he muttered grumpily. Staring down at the kitten, he gave a grunt, then crawled into bed, careful not to kick the sleeping animal at the bottom. He blew out the candle, the last source of light, and lied down. Soon, he, too, was asleep, unaware of how dramatically his life was going to change.

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><p>Over the next two weeks, nothing very eventful happened. The morning after she had arrived, Akina had woken up to find a pair of vermillion eyes staring down at her thoughtfully. She let out a meow of surprise before changing back into her original form. Quickly she apologized for falling asleep in his room and asked for her own room so she wouldn't trouble him anymore. He replied that only the thieves were allowed to have the rooms. This may look like a hotel, he'd said, but it was home to all the men downstairs. Not only that, but women weren't allowed to be thieves. The men didn't mix business and pleasure. He said she could just sleep in his room. "On the floor," he added, making her feel even guiltier for sleeping on his bed.<p>

Akina had gathered the blankets together, forming a bed of her own in the corner of the room, as much out of the way as possible so she wouldn't be too much of a nuisance to him. Immediately, she lied down and curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees and stared at the wall. Hiei had stared at her for a moment before exiting the room without a word.

When he entered the bar downstairs, cheers erupted. He ignored them, not bothering to make it clear that he and Akina were not doing anything. Let them think what they wanted. He knew the truth: he merely saved her life and she needed a place to stay.

As said before, nothing really important happened over the next two weeks. Akina remained in Hiei's room at all times, sunk into her own depression, almost to the point of being in a catatonic state. She stayed in her homemade bed of blankets in the corner, always facing the wall, always fingering the necklace around her neck. Her mother had given it to her years ago. It was a silver butterfly, with a sapphire on the tip of each wing. It was the only valuable possession she had.

Hiei brought her food so she wouldn't starve to death and she ate it, not wanting him to have gone to all the trouble for nothing. Had he not been around, she probably would have starved since she didn't care enough to feed herself. It was the only time during the day that she'd sit up. "Why are you doing this for me?" she asked everyday as he sat on his bed and watched her to make sure she ate. It was the only time she came out of her haze enough to make coherent statements.

"Because you're pathetic," he replied every day, and nothing more. But Akina, being the stubborn cat that she was, refused to accept this as an answer and thus asked him every day when he brought food to her. Why was he doing this for her? Finally, one day, he cracked. "Because," he growled angrily, annoyed with the question, "you remind me of myself."

Akina blinked in surprise, not expecting that answer. "How so?" she asked.

He scowled and looked away. "You were rejected from your home. You're unwanted, considered a curse," he grumbled.

"How'd you know that?" the orange-haired girl asked quietly. She had not told him the reason for being where she was. She didn't want him to know why she had been exiled. If he knew, he would hate her too.

He looked back at her, staring intently. She shifted uneasily under his gaze. "The mob chasing you from your village sort of gave it away. Not to mention that you talk in your sleep," he said quietly. She gave a small "oh" in reply. And from that moment on, a bond formed between them, for they knew each other's pain.

Akina still refused to move from her spot on the floor, despite Hiei's persuading. She just wanted to be left alone. She had no one now, so she might as well get used to it. And so, weeks passed and Akina fell into her own pattern of sleeping, then eating, then sleeping, thinking of nothing but her own misfortunes.

* * *

><p>Akina sat upright in bed, panting and sweating. She looked around the darkness of the room, a small bit of light coming in through the window, signaling the rising sun. She took a moment to breathe, then lied back down, listening intently to make sure she hadn't woken up her roommate. He had been out late with the others on a job and needed his sleep.<p>

_'Mom_...' she thought, not for the first time in the past few weeks. But this time it was different. She said it in disbelief rather than the crushing anguish.

Takara, Akina's mother, had come to visit her in the night.

_"Akina,"_ she had said. _"You need to move on. Stop sulking and get your ass out of bed."_

Akina had always loved her mother's compassion.

_"But mom..."_ she replied, once she had gotten over the shock. She'd heard stories of ghosts visiting people in their dreams but it had never happened to her. _"I can't. I don't have anybody. I'm all alone now."_

_"Well, you can't expect that cute boy over there to take care of you forever,"_ Takara had replied, causing Akina to blush. _"You need to get a grip. Make a stand. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's not flattering. When was the last time you had fresh air, or took a shower? No, don't answer that. I don't want to know. I didn't raise a daughter that would sink low like this when something goes wrong. Now get your ass out of bed and do something about your life!"_

_'She's right...'_ Akina thought miserably, rolling over to stare at Hiei. The room got slightly brighter with every passing minute. _'Hiei can't take care of me forever...'_ She stood up, chin held high in determination. She walked to another corner of the room where a pile of clothes lay. Hiei had put them there for her, knowing that she would eventually need them. She grabbed some, feeling more grateful than ever for Hiei's kindness.

Quietly, she slipped out of the room, barely making a noise so that she wouldn't wake the sleeping fire demon. She went down the hall and down the stairs, through the nearly empty bar and out the front door. The few men and women who were up at this time stared at her as she walked by but she ignored them. They knew that she'd been upstairs but they hadn't seen her at all, except for that first night.

Akina walked through the streets, taking in deep breaths of fresh air and enjoying the scenery. Everything was so different in the morning. It was early enough that most people were asleep still, making it so that the streets were nearly empty and everything was silent. It was completely different from the night she had arrived. Most of the prostitutes, gangs, and drunks had gone home for the night. It was actually quite peaceful, and she was relieved that she didn't have to pass excessive amounts of inhabitants.

She wandered out of the city and into the forest, walking for about 5 minutes or so until she came to a small lake. Cautiously, she looked around to make sure no one else was there and to ensure her privacy before stripping down and jumping into the water. She let out a small yelp as she submerged. The icy cold revitalized the neko, making her feel more awake than ever and clearing her head. Akina quickly washed and got out, dressing herself in the new clothes. She disposed of the old ones in some bushes, for they were smelly and still had dirt and blood covering them.

She walked back to the bar, her wet hair clinging to her neck and shirt, getting it all wet and making her chilly in the morning air. She felt like a completely different person. The smell that had been building up and surrounding her was now gone, washed away in the lake. Her orange hair was straight and smooth. It was amazing what being clean could do for a person.

When she walked back into the bar, all the men and women were whispering but stop abruptly when she walked back in. She continued to ignore them and made her way up the stairs and back into Hiei's room.

Once there, she opened the door quietly, only to find the fire demon sitting up in bed and staring at her pile of blankets. He was only half awake and it looked as though he can't quite comprehend that she was not there. He looked over and blinked as she entered the room. "Good morning," Akina said. He just stared at her. It was obvious he wasn't expecting to see her up and about. She stood in the middle of the room and looked around, then turned back to her own personal savior. "Where are my daggers?" He gave her a blank look. "I had two daggers..."

Comprehension dawned on his face. "In the dresser," he said simply. He watched as she walked to it and opened the drawers, searching in for two, black-hilted daggers and their wrist sheaths. "What are you doing, koneko?" Hiei asked, still watching her. She blinked at the name, surprised. He had called her that once or twice, but it had never really registered. It was weird to realize that she didn't mind the nickname. She turned around and gave a small, amused smile. Being only half awake was confusing him, and he looked less hostile than normal. She had been in that pile of blankets that she called a bed for so long, his brain seemed unable to comprehend that she was not in it anymore.

As she put on her daggers, she said, "I'm going to join your group of thieves, get myself my own room, and leave you in peace." It surprised her to hear the words coming out of her mouth. She didn't even realize she had made the decision but as soon as she said it, she knew that was what she needed to do. An amused smirk danced on her face. "It's ironic really," she remarked. "All my life I was persecuted and shunned because the people were afraid of me. Afraid that I'm going to end up as a thief like my old man." A laugh escapted her but it wasn't a happy one. It was bitter and full of sorrow. "And now look, here I am trying to earn a place in a group of thieves."

Hiei stood up, face more alert as the fog of sleep left him. "You know that in order to get a place here, you have to fight one of the strongest members," he stated, staring hard at his neko friend.

She just smiled. He stared into her eyes and was surprised when he saw that sorrow was not the dominant emotion behind them anymore. Rather, it was determination. "Don't judge me on first impressions. Just because you had to save my life doesn't mean I can't fight," she said kindly, running a hand through her hair wishing she had a brush.

He gave her a hard look, then sighed. "All right. I'll go tell them you want to fight. But they'll probably say no," he warned, walking toward the door.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They don't want to mix business and pleasure but trust me: I'm only here on business," she said, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail before following the fire demon out the door several minutes later.

Downstairs in the bar, Hiei was talking to the men. Most of them were up, though some of them were still half asleep. But as they listened to Hiei's news, she could see that they were getting angrier and angrier. One of them looked over and spotted her. "You!" he said. "What makes you think you can just waltz in here and think you can join us? Women are not meant to be thieves!"

Akina's eyes narrowed. "Let me prove myself," she said, speaking up. Her voice was sharp and clear, ringing throughout the air. They all glared and opened their mouths to protest but Akina cut them off. "I will fight the strongest five you have. If I fail, I will leave. I won't ever come back. If I succeed, you let me join your little group of thieves and get my own room so that I can leave Hiei alone," she said in a reasonable tone as she stepped closer, her footsteps echoing through the silent room. The men turned around and huddled, whispering. Only Akina's sensitive cat hearing allowed her to hear what they were saying.

"I think we should. She's just one cat girl, barely older than the obnoxious boy," one said as the others leaned in to hear.

"Have you gone mad?" another man, as well as a few others, protested. "She's a woman! Women always have something hidden up their sleeves. They are nothing but trouble."

"But like you said, she's a woman. We can just kill her if we have to. She wants to fight five us," another thief stated, twirling a knife around.

Some more quiet protests rose up. "I'll fight, but I sure won't kill no woman," some said.

"What's the harm in letting her try?" another guy asked. "If she fails, she leaves forever. You all said yourself, she's a woman. Not even that: she's a girl. Let her fight and we'll show her that this is a man's game." The others seemed to consider it, and, all agreeing, turned around to face Hiei—whom they had shunned from the circle—and Akina. "Alright, you may fight. The five strongest fighters will meet you outside on the training grounds in half an hour."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Akina followed the men as they walked out the back door of the bar. Between the back of the building and the forest, there was a clearing. It was well maintained but there were several patches of blood that had soaked into the dirt. Benches surrounded the area for spectators, but it was clear that the purpose of this place was for the men to train and fight. It was currently empty.

All the men in the bar walked to the middle of this clearing and huddled up again as Akina stood a few feet away. Hiei stood next to her, but said nothing. After a minute or so of quiet arguing, the men turned around and faced the two of them.

A man stepped forward. He was taller than her by about a foot and a half. Two horns stuck out of the top of his head. He couldn't be described as obese, but he wasn't skinny either. The majority of his mass was not muscles, and he didn't look that strong. From the way everyone listened to him with rapt attention, however, Akina knew this was the leader of the thieves. "Alright, we have decided who you will fight," he said, his voice carrying clearly over the crowd.

"Akinari!" he shouted. A big burly man stepped out of the group. He was over ten feet tall and over five feet wide. The rolls of his stomach were large, and fell over the edge of the loin cloth he was wearing. His black hair was short and spiky. As he stepped forward, the ground shook slightly with each step he took. He grinned threateningly and cracked his knuckles as he eyed the short demon before him.

"Keishi!" A tall, lanky demon stepped up next Akinari. Even though Keishi was not as tall as the bigger demon, he was still at least two feet taller than Akina. His nose pointed forward and his two front teeth protruded from between his lips. His rat tail swung behind him as he folded his arms. He sneered at Akina.

"Hitoshi!" This demon was taller than her as well, but not as tall as the other two. His expression was sullen, his blonde hair hanging into his blue eyes. The coat he wore hung down past his knees, but she could see the tip of his nodachi poking out from beneath the hem.

"Hiei, and finally, I will test you to see if you are worthy," the man who was speaking finished.

She looked over the four demons in front of her, all staring back at her. She glanced over at Hiei who was glaring ahead. The only one of these five demons that she was worried about fighting was Hiei. He had been her friend for the past while and not only that, she had seen him take down an entire mob.

"I refuse to fight some stupid koneko," Hiei said from beside her, his hands shoved into his pockets. Akina glared.

"I told you Hiei, just because you caught me at a bad moment and had to save me, it doesn't mean I can't fight," she said quietly. He ignored her.

"I don't want to waste my time," he continued. She glared hard at him before turning back to the men in front of her.

The leader studied Hiei. "Alright then," he said after a minute of contemplating. "Who would like to fight the girl? The one who has insulted our ways by believing she can become one of us?" the man said, turning to look at all of his men. The women who had come out with everyone to watch the fight glared at the neko and urged their man to go forward.

"I will," a voice said from the crowd. The throng of people moved aside to make way for the demon that was pushing his way through. He was tall, with a mocking sneer on his face. A kunai twirled around his finger. Despite the mockery on his face, his eyes held no amusement, simply malicious thoughts.

"Gihei will take Hiei's place!" the leader shouted as the volunteer came to stand by the others. Akina stared at her five opponents impassively, regarding them with little interest, before stepping forward to take her place in the arena. She stopped, however, when her friend spoke up from behind her.

"Be careful, koneko," he said so quietly, no one but Akina could hear him. She smirked, though he couldn't see it, and continued forward.

As she approached, the leader continued speaking."We will have 5 one-on-one battles. If we die, faint, or surrender, you win. We'll go easy on you: we only have to knock you out."

"No need for that," Akina replied, flicking a wrist and causing a dagger to come to her hand. She twirled it expertly through her fingers. "One battle, five-on-one. If you kill me, you win. If you die, faint or surrender, as you said, then I win." The spectators watched as she threw the dagger into the air, caught it by the blade, then re-sheathed it. The five men before her exchanged glances.

"Alright, we accept your terms," said the leader. He looked to the fire demon. "Hiei, boy! Start us off!"

"Baka koneko..." Hiei mumbled, then sighed. "Ready and...FIGHT!" he yelled.

The five males spread out slowly until they formed a circle around the single girl. She didn't move. Everyone stood perfectly still, waiting. Watching. Without warning, Gihei let out a yell as he charged forward. From the other side of the circle, Keishi did the same. Akina didn't move as they charged her. Her hands hung limply at her sides. _'Too slow...'_ she thought to herself. Gihei arrived first. When he was less than a few inches in front of her, his kunai coming for her throat, she took a step to the left and in one swift movement she brought her right hand up and around. It connected solidly with the base of his skull, a dull thud sounding out. He grunted once before falling into blackness.

Before he could fall to the ground, she grabbed his upper arms, turned around, and threw him at Keishi. The rat let out a yell as the man crashed into him and brought him to the ground.

Akina straightened up and looked at the three standing men. They stared back at her. Next thing they knew, she disappeared. Hiei blinked in surprise, never having suspected that she could move so fast. Everyone else looked around as well, trying to spot the neko. A soft yell of pain could be heard, causing two of the remaining men to whip around, only to see leader fall to the ground, also unconscious. Akina stood over him.

By this point, Keishi had regained his balance, having thrown the unconscious Gihei to the side. He let out a yell of frustration and charged her. Akina crouched low, ready to attack. The rat reached her and began a rain of punches. Akina held up her arms and blocked them all from hitting anything vital. Keishi's eyes were dark and furious as he threw blow after blow. A break between punches came and she jumped into the air. Using Keishi's shoulder as a push-off, she jumped higher into the air and did a back flip, landing some feet away from him. A flick of the wrist allowed a dagger to come to her hand and she disappeared once again. The man let out a scream as blood spurted out of his stomach from a fresh wound. He fell to his knees in pain. She appeared behind him. One hand firmly gripped his hair, pulling his head back while the other held a dagger to his exposed throat. He grunted and gritted his teeth, holding his stomach wound that was bleeding profusely, splattering the ground with crimson liquid. "Give up," Akina demanded softly.

Keishi glared, though she couldn't see it from where she was standing. He remained silent. She pushed the dagger harder against his throat and he winced as a droplet of blood tricked down his neck and under his shirt. He cast his eyes downward and mumbled, "I surrender." Akina released him and he doubled over, gasping in pain.

Akina turned to face the remaining two: Hitoshi and Akinari. At this point, Hitoshi threw open his coat, exposing his long sword. His face was dark and expressionless as he drew his weapon, holding it with both hands. The light glimmered off the surface as he moved into an offensive stance. Neither of them moved for a long moment. Silence filled the air as Akina faced him with only a small knife in her right hand.

Suddenly, Hitoshi was moving, charging at her with his sword. Akina did not move and her hands remained by her side. Hiei shifted nervously, wondering what she was thinking. Just as the sword was going to enter her body, she disappeared. There was the clash of metal on metal and Hitoshi's nodachi was thrown into the air. It twirled around, spinning uselessly out of his reach until it landed point first in the dirt at Hiei's feet.

The crowd gasped and looked back to the two fighters. Akina had him in the same position as Keishi with a dagger to his throat. His hands dangled by his side. "Surrender," she repeated.

"I will not surrender to some foolish girl," he said and before she could react, a knife appeared in his hand. He slammed it backward, deep into her thigh. She hissed in pain and he used her distraction to jump out of her grasp. He landed in front of her, crouched, hands balled into fists. Akina smirked and reached down to the dagger still in her thigh. With a sickening squelch, she pulled it out. Blood dripped down and landed in the dirt. Without a sound, she turned and threw it as hard as she could at the building. The tip sunk into the wood.

With her opponent distracted, she reached up into her hair and brought it back down, a rose clasped firmly in her hand. She flicked it out, saying, "Rose Whip." The flowery end disappeared, only to be replaced by a thin, thorny vine. Hitoshi barely looked back in time before she lunged forward, whipping it through the air. It hit his arm, causing a large gash to appear. The sleeve of his shirt was instantly soaked. He let out a gasp of pain, then turned to glare at her. "Foolish girl..." he mumbled. Akina ignored him and whipped her whip again. He smirked and grabbed it as it made its way toward him. The thorns dug into his hand, causing even more blood to spurt out. Her eyes widened slightly. He pulled it hard and it flew out of her grasp. It turned back into a rose and he crushed it with his foot.

Without a second's hesitation, she dashed forward and grabbed his shoulder with her left hand and with the other, she curled it into a fist and brought it forward, slamming a knife into his stomach. He coughed up blood, splattering her, then fell to the ground. He stared up at her. His breaths were coming in ragged gasps. "I concede..." he muttered softly, just able to be heard. She gave a small smile at her victory before turning to face the last one: Akinari.

She darted forward and—much to her pleasure—slammed a fist right into his oversized gut. Her arm sunk into the flab all the way up to her elbow. To her surprise, he just laughed. His stomach muscles flexed and the fat became a solid mass of muscle. Her arm popped out. "You can't hurt me!" he roared.

Akina jumped back and studied the large man in front of her. She swore mentally. _'Should have seen that one coming...'_ she thought to herself. _'I need to find a weak spot.'_ Her eyes scanned his body, going from head to foot and back up, quickly dismissing places covered in fat. They would absorb the shock of any blow she could throw him. Her eyes landed on a place and she hid a gin. She disappeared again and when she came back into view, she was about three feet in the air right in front of Akinari. The crowd watched as she reeled her uninjured leg back and brought it forward. It connected solidly with the place right between his legs. The watching men winced.

Akina landed on the ground and watched in amusement as Akinari's eyes filled up with tears of pain. He reflexively grabbed himself and fell to his knees and then started to fall forward. Akina, who was standing only several feet away from him, didn't move. His whole torso was coming straight for her, ready to crush her to oblivion but she stood her ground. His mass was coming closer and closer. And then, Akina jumped up about half a foot or so, grabbed his shoulders and slammed her own head into his. The demon's eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground unconscious with a thud that shook the trees.

Silence rang around the crowd outside as they stared at the orange-haired girl in the center, a small, triumphant smile on her face. No one congratulated her. No one clapped. No one cheered. She didn't expect them to. Finally, after what seemed like ages, someone called out, "Who ARE you? What are you doing here?"

Akina turned in the direction the voice came from. She debated with herself on what to tell them. After a second or so, she came up with something that resembled the truth, but wasn't quite so, when someone else spoke up. "I can tell you who she is!" a feminine voice yelled. Akina whipped around, facing the voice.

"You!" she breathed when she found the owner of the voice. "What are you doing here?" It had been almost a month since Akina was chased from her village. She assumed that they all thought she was dead. No one was supposed to actually find her.

Everyone turned to face the new arrival. It was a girl, looking to be about Akina's age. She had greenish hair that was pulled up into a high ponytail. A forked tongue appeared every now and then as she took her bow off her shoulder and pulled an arrow out of a quiver on her back. "Her name is Akina. She's lived in my village all her life. Only a month ago, we managed to chase her out." She never took her eyes off the cat as she strung her arrow. "Should I tell them _why_we hated you and chased you away?" the girl asked playfully, menace dancing in her smoldering eyes filled with loathing.

"I'm warning you, Sakura..." Akina threatened. Hiei appeared from nowhere at his neko friend's side but kept a bit of distance, wary of her because of the strange arrival of this girl. "You don't have to help me Hiei. I'll take care of her myself," Akina said tightly, never taking her eyes off the one named Sakura in front of her. Hiei gave Akina a look before backing off a little. The people who were standing around Sakura, unknowingly concealing her, had moved apart and there was now a circle around the two girls. "Why are you here, Sakura?" Akina repeated, dropping into a fighting stance. Her feet spread apart and her fists came up.

"I came to kill you," the snake girl said menacingly. "You killed my father." Her father was the snake demon, the leader of the town.

Akina glared. "Need I remind you, Sakura, that your father killed _my_ mother."

Sakura's didn't move, but brought her bow and arrow up, pointing it at the cat demon's heart. "Your mother was a whore. She got what she deserved."

Anger swept through Akina, swift and hard, blinding her with rage. "You know what I'm capable of, don't you?" Akina asked dangerously, her voice quite. She took a step toward the young snake demon. "I know you've seen my mother, Kagami and me all training in the forest. I could smell your stink." No one moved or spoke as they watched. Keishi and Hitoshi were sitting up, watching with interest while some of the women attended to them and the other three, who were still unconscious.

Sakura winced at her words but still didn't move forward. The bow and arrow came down. "All right then, I may not be able to kill you, but I can make you miserable!" Akina eyed the girl warily. Sakura turned to look at all the people. All of them watched her, all of them still confused. "This girl's mother was burned at the stake one month ago. Do you know _why_ she was killed?" No one replied. No one save Hiei had even _seen_this cat demon until this morning. "No? Then allow me to enlighten you."

Akina clenched her fist. That little brat was going to tell them and then she'd be kicked out again. She'd just earned her place, fair and square and this girl was going to ruin her life. Even Hiei didn't know the truth and if she told him, he might not want to be her friend anymore. "Sakuraaaaaa!" Akina yelled, getting ready to lunge forward.

"She was killed because of her mate." She turned back to look at Akina. "Should I tell them who he was?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully, obviously enjoying the torture she was inflicting upon the neko. Fire danced in Akina's eyes, but Sakura was oblivious to it. "Her mate was," Sakura continued, going as slowly as possible to drag it out, and, with an evil grin, she said, "Youko Kurama."

_It was late one night, sometime in the early morning without the tiniest hint of light. A little fox with five tails ran stealthily through the village, hiding behind little things as he made his way toward the shrine. Inside was a jewel, a most precious one and powerful one. And he was going to steal it._

_Every night, there was always someone to watch over the shrine to make sure it stayed safe and that night, an orange-haired neko with blue eyes and red ears and a tail stood inside, waiting. The door slid open silently, causing Takara's eyes to narrow as she got ready for the approaching thief. She stood up, ready to fight but froze when a little fox ran into the room. Immediately she recognized him, having heard many stories. "Youko Kurama," she breathed. The fox froze in its tracks and stared up at the neko. Its eyes seemed to widen as he stared at her. Takara recovered from her brief moment of shock, then whipped out several daggers, ready to kill. "Come closer and I'll kill you," she growled. Youko stared for a second longer before transforming into his two legged self, his silver ears poking out of his silver hair._

_He studied the woman before him. "I doubt you could," he said in a silky smooth voice, his arms crossed. She glared, then picked up a whistle and put it to her lips, ready to call for help. They both stared at each other, she was glaring and he was staring thoughtfully. In one swift movement, he was across the room and had pinned the cat to the wall with his body, her wrists fastened together in one hand above her head. A long, slender hand came up and gently pulled the whistle out of her mouth. He lowered his head so that he was mere inches away from her face. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously but she remained quiet, chin up to show him that she was not afraid of what he might do to her. But he simply smirked and, with one last look, ran away disappearing into the night. Neither of them knew what it was but something had happened that night._

_Youko tried again and again to get that jewel but every time, Takara seemed to be ready for him. Every time, he became more and more fascinated with her: the determination in her eyes, the way she moved, how she threatened to kill him. Soon, he found that he was not sneaking into the village to steal the jewel, but rather, he wanted to get a look at the cat. He found he began to come more and more often. Every night, they would stare at each other, each one daring the other to attack, but neither did. And then, one night, both of their lives changed._

_Youko came, as usual, in the middle of the night. Takara was already waiting for him. She always meant to kill him, but something always held her back. That night, she was determined to attack. Youko appeared as always, slipping in and trying to be unnoticed. After several attempts to get to the jewel, he had stopped bothering with his full fox form and stayed as his two legged self. He snuck in and found, to his joy, the neko standing there, her daggers already out and prepared to attack. "I'll kill you tonight Youko," she said quietly but as always, they were locked in a stare down, each of them daring the other to strike first and tonight, Youko did. He moved forward again with a swiftness no human could ever hope to match and to his, not to mention Takara's, almighty surprise he pressed his lips against hers. At first she struggled against him, knowing it was her job to protect the jewel but something inside of her found the kiss enjoyable and soon, she gave into temptation. That night, the two made love and Youko was gone before morning._

_Youko still came every night but now he had a different purpose. After a couple months or so, the two marked each other as mates, though they knew they couldn't ever really be together for Takara could not leave her village due to her obligations and Youko could not stay._

_One fateful night, Youko was returning to see his mate after a while of separation. They had a wonderful reunion and as always, Youko was gone before morning. But this time, he was seen. The person who saw him raised the alarm and everyone turned to Takara and began questioning her. She denied the accusations but someone spotted the bite mark on her neck and that was more than enough evidence. Youko, knowing he was spotted that night, did not return but the damage was done. Seven months later, he snuck back once more to say good-bye. He knew he couldn't stay with his mate, even though he longed for her constantly. Sneakily, he crept into her home to find her staring out the window. An old lady sat in the corner with purple hair and matching purple eyes. A human, by the smell of it, though he couldn't fathom why a human would be there. The two were talking in low voices but they stopped when they heard him enter. Takara turned to face him and Youko stared in shock at her. "Whose is that?" he asked dumbly._

_The neko looked down at her large, round stomach, then back at him. "Yours. Seven months along," she said quietly. Yoko looked taken aback but quickly got over the shock. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little case and handed it to her. He had just returned from Koenma's vault and taken a gift for his mate. She opened it and inside was a necklace, a silver butterfly with a sapphire in each wingtip. She gaped at it. He quickly told her that he had come to say good-bye, that he was leaving for her own protection and, now that he knew she was having his child, the child's protection. She nodded in understanding. He stroked her stomach once, feeling the unborn child kick, and he smiled in awe. Then he grabbed Takara's face in his hands and kissed her soundly on the lips. Tears streamed down her face as she kissed him back. He stared deeply into her eyes once more before he turned and fled, disappearing into the darkness, never to see his love again._

A few gasps were heard around Akina after Sakura announced his name and a few people started to mumble to each other. "Sakura, I'm giving you until the count of ten, to get out of my sight!" Akina said, starting out softly and getting louder with each word. She pulled out her daggers as Sakura's eyes widened. Sakura knew what Akina was capable of with her knives. She quickly placed her quiver and her bow on her back and started to back up slowly. "1..." Sakura took off in the other direction, "2...!" Akina watched her run. Instead of continuing her count, she shouted, "10!" and disappeared, reappearing in front of Sakura. She kicked her in the stomach and the snake demon landed on her back, looking up fearfully at the angry neko in front of her. Akina pulled her arm back and slammed it into Sakura's face. A nauseating crunch resonated through the air and Sakura screamed as blood poured out of her nose. Without another word, Akina moved behind the other girl, reached down, and slit her throat in one swift movement.

Akina glared one last time at the foolish snake before returning to the thieves. She walked back, ignoring all the stares and the pointing fingers, and walked to Hiei. "Sorry Hiei," she mumbled quietly, staring at the ground. "I should have told you the truth. I understand if you want me to leave." She looked up slightly to see the fire demon's face. He seemed to be studying her.

After a minute or so, he grabbed her wrist, saying, "C'mon koneko. I'll show you to your room."

* * *

><p>20 years passed. Never had Akina felt more at home. After the initial shock of her parentage, the thieves came to accept her. If anything, they respected her for it. Having one of the most famous and deadliest thieves of all time as a father was something that they admired. It was a feeling she was unaccustomed to but one she was happy with.<p>

She had become extremely close friends with the fire demon. She had learned over the years about his history with the Ice Maidens and his desire to search for his sister. She, in turn, let him know about her mother and her wish to find her father. It was always odd, the way Hiei was with her. When he was around the thieves, he was quiet and bitter. Hostile, even. But whenever he was alone with her, he seemed more at peace and talked to her. That's not to say he poured out his soul to her. She'd known from the beginning he was closed off and distant emotionally. But over the years, as their friendship had grown, he'd opened up to her more and more until he spoke almost freely, and even smiled on occasion.

Akina had even made some friends with most of the other demons. Of the five she had fought, most of them had come to respect her. Keishi, Akinari, and Gihei had come to think of her as a sisterly figure and treated her as such. They were friends to her and helped her as she adjusted to the new life she had as a thief. Hitoshi, however, never recovered from losing to a girl and refused to speak with her. Akina was quite content with her new lifestyle. She was happy, something she never thought she could be again. But she'd heard some things lately and she wasn't sure if it was going to stay that way forever.

Currently, she was training the others. She and Keishi were having a friendly fight. She dodged another attack, causing him to growl in frustration. Akina was just about to make her own move when a voice rang out above the fight noises. "Koneko!" Hiei yelled from the back doorway. Akina skidded to a stop. Dirt billowed up into the air around her legs. "Come here!"

Keishi, the rat demon, snickered. "What did you do now, Akina? Better run to your master!" he teased quietly. For the past 20 years, Akina had refused to take orders from anyone except Hiei, causing people to make fun of her about it. Akina glared at him and punched him in his ribs. "Shut up, rat. I'm coming back and I'm gonna kick your ass. Again!" Keishi sneered jokingly and kicked her in the butt as she started to walk away, earning him a glare.

Akina followed the fire demon inside, up the stairs, and down the hall. He opened the door to his room and walked in, closing it behind Akina as she followed. She walked over and jumped onto the bed, sitting cross legged. Hiei leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he stared at the ground. Akina frowned slightly. "What's with the serious look?" she asked.

Hiei stayed silent for a minute before looking up at the neko. "Akina..." he started off.

* * *

><p>"A jagan?" Akina asked incredulously. "Are you mad? Nobody's ever lived through one of those surgeries. What makes you so special?" He didn't answer and the room fell into silence. "I'm going with you," Akina said suddenly.<p>

"Koneko..." he said warningly.

"What, did you honestly think you could leave me behind? Besides, I've heard some things. The men are all talking about leaving you behind. They're sick of your attitude. Of course, they think I can't hear but I'm not an idiot. And I'm friends with several of the woman that hang around here. They can get a lot of information from them. They say that the men say that they're going to leave you behind, as well as myself if I complain, which we all know I will. So, I'm going with you Hiei, whether you like it or not. The only reason I stay with these idiots is because of you." The words came out in a rush. She knew he'd interrupt if she stopped for even a second.

Hiei seemed slightly shocked by this bit of information, that the thieves who rescued him from dying as a baby would abandon him, but he quickly covered it with a glare and a look of indifference. "Koneko, sometimes you make me want to-"

"Kill someone? Break something? Scream and pull out your hair?" Akina said with a smile. "I know, it's been that way for the past 20 years but admit it, you couldn't live a day without my charm. So can I come?" she asked, even though she had every intention of going no matter what he said.

He gave a sigh of defeat. "I guess if you must," he mumbled. Akina smiled happily. He looked up and stared into his friend's golden eyes. "We'll leave tonight." She nodded and slipped off his bed. She walked past the fire demon, completely unaware of the strange look he was giving her, as well as the confused look in his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Two figures crept through the darkness, unseen by anything save the rats and spiders. Carefully, they slipped through the halls, down the stairs, and out the front door. Once in the safety of the dark night, they took off, their bags swinging over their shoulders. When they were a safe distance away, they slowed to a walk, neither of them saying a word as they began their journey through the forest.

* * *

><p>"No."<p>

"Aww, c'mon. Please?"

"I said no!"

Akina stuck her lower lip out in a playful pout as she walked backward in front of the fire demon. They'd been walking in the forest for the past two weeks without stopping except for sleep. All Akina wanted was a break. If she tripped one more time... "Please? We've been walking for so long." He glared and opened his mouth to reply, something that involved the word no, but before he could, Akina let out a squeal and an 'oof' as she caught her foot on yet another root and hit the ground. Hiei smirked.

"Alright. But only because I don't want to drag you when you break a leg," he said, staring down at her. Her disgruntled look vanished and was quickly replaced with a smile. She quickly thanked her friend and, with a slightly audible pop, disappeared, a small, silver kitten sitting in her place. The kitten crouched down low and with a bounding leap, landed gracefully on Hiei's shoulder. He gave a careless grunt and began walking again. "You're lazy," he observed. Akina gave a small mew and began to purr, nuzzling the fire demon's ear. He let out an exasperated sigh, though he reached up and scratched her behind the ears nonetheless, causing her to purr even more.

They continued for several more days, walking through the same dreary forest. Akina found a semi-permanent place on Hiei's shoulder. It would get too quiet at times so she transformed back to her usual self now and again so they could talk to each other.

Currently, the two were walking side by side. For the most part, it was fairly quiet with only the sound of crunching twigs beneath their feet and an occasional comment. They were content, though, walking together through the forest. It felt as though this was the way it was always meant to be, just the two of them.

Suddenly, Hiei stopped walking, staring straight ahead. Akina stopped next to him, looking back and forth between the dense forest and the intense face of her friend. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"This is as far as you go," Hiei replied firmly. He never took his eyes off the continuing forest. The look on his face was one of concentration, like he was searching for something in the thickness of the trees.

"What? No! I'm going with you all the way. You said I could come with you!" Akina immediately protested but was silenced by a look from the fire demon.

"I never said I was leaving you behind permanently," he growled, clenching his fists. At the moment, he didn't want to put up with her whining. _'Stubborn as a kitten,'_he thought, mildly amused as he realized that she was a kitten in more than just looks.

"Oh," she said quietly, looking at the ground. After a minute or so of silence, both of them trying to decide what to say, Akina stepped in front of her friend. "All right then. If I can't come, I have something to say. You have to live." He moved his gaze to his neko friend, slight confusion showing in his features at her words. "I mean, as far as I've heard, no one has survived this surgery. If you die, I swear I will find a way to Spirit World, force them to bring you back to life, kill you myself and bring you back again to clean up the mess." He stared at her, obviously surprised. He was even more surprised when she took a step forward and gently wrapped her arms around him. "Please come back Hiei. You're the only one I have left," she said, squeezing her friend tighter. He froze for a moment before he hesitantly returned the hug. They stayed that way for several minutes, feeling the comfort of being near each other. It was their way of saying good-bye.

She pulled back after a moment and continued talking as though nothing had happened, not wanting him to feel too uncomfortable. "Now, when you recover, come find me. It shouldn't be that hard for you, what with your new body part and all. I'm going to start my own search." He nodded in reply and, with one last look, he brushed past her and continued without looking back.

Akina watched him until she couldn't see him anymore as the trees swallowed him up. With a sigh, she turned and used her nose to guide her to the nearest village. She hadn't forgotten what her mother said and now, she intended to find her father, no matter how long it took.

* * *

><p>Months went by, slowly at first but soon, time sped up as Akina managed to throw herself into her quest. She was constantly moving. At first, she wasn't so good at the searching. People shied away from her, not wanting to answer her direct questions or they were too afraid to. Soon, she learned how to blend in, gain people's trust, and ask the right questions. With this new knowledge, she was able learn to slip through unnoticed, enough to get what she needed but not be remembered. New contacts were made, available for future needs. But despite the new skills she was acquiring and the new information she obtained, the nagging worry for her friend stayed in the back of her mind, hardly allowing her a moment of peace.<p>

_'11 months...'_ Akina thought to herself, walking though another forest. Someone in the last village had pointed her this way. It was several days walk and nothing to distract the neko, thus allowing her mind to wander freely. _'It's almost been a year...'_ she observed, then stopped in her tracks as an icy fear gripped her and her stomach dropped. For the first time, she realized how long it had actually been. How long she had been alone. _'Maybe...maybe he...'_ She couldn't even complete that thought. It was as if she avoided it, it was not, and never would be, true. But then she let out a laugh at her stupidity and continued walking. _'Hiei's not dead. He's too stubborn to die. No...he's just flat out stubborn,'_she thought, continuing down her path though the worry has increased.

"You're one to talk," a voice said behind her, poking her in the side at the same time. Akina nearly jumped out of her skin. With a hiss, she turned around, screaming, "Don't DO that!" while holding her side.

Hiei watched as she realized that it was him standing there. He could visibly see the relief flooding through her like a bursting dam and felt a pang of guilt, realizing how much he must have worried her, though she would probably never let on.

After catching her breath, Akina studied the fire demon before her: he looked exactly the same as before, except for the white bandana around his head. Though he may look the same, Akina could feel much more power emanating from him.

Hiei stared back at her impassively, the same usual bored look on his face that had always been there. But looks can always be deceiving of a person's true thoughts. For some reason Hiei wouldn't be able to understand for several more years, he felt a burst of happiness at seeing his friend again and seeing her worry so much made him guilty. But why should he care? She was just a stupid kitten, even though she was his only friend.

Thoughts of yelling at the fire demon for taking so long passed through the neko's mind but she was just too happy at her friend's return. Too happy to realize that he was still alive. Too happy to realize that she was no longer alone. The feeling of being whole again was something she was surprised to feel, as though part of her was missing and was now whole. The ridiculous urge to throw her arms around him and hug him as tight as she could was also unexpected but she ignored it, knowing that the fire demon would not respond well to that. However, she did have one question. "Did you just read my mind?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

He stared at her. "Yes, idiot, I did," he replied. She was taken aback for a brief second, having only been called names by him when they first met, but brushed it off.

They stared at each other, slightly awkward. It had been almost a year since they'd seen each other. What did they do now? Pick up where they left off? Act as if nothing happened? A silent understanding passed between them and Akina smiled at him.

"So...Hiei of the Evil Eye...Hiei Jaganshi...I guess I'll have to get used to that," she said, as the two of them start walking through the forest some more. A thought passed through her mind and she smiled evilly. "Of course, to me, you'll just be Tri-Eye." She looked out the corner of her eye to see his reaction.

He stopped dead and slowly brought his gaze to hers. She was standing in front of him now, a large smile dominating her features. "Don't call me that," he growled. Akina's smile just grew.

She leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Tri-Eye." He growled low in his throat and lunged forward. Akina stepped away, just as she had every other time she'd fought Hiei but something was different this time. Hiei smashed into her, causing both of them to go tumbling to the ground and smack heads together. They both sat on the ground, holding their foreheads and wincing.

"What was that for?" Akina shouted, looking at her friend and keeping her hands on her head.

"I thought you would have moved!" he yelled back.

"It's not my fault you've gotten faster! I wasn't expecting it!" Akina shouted back. Hiei just hn'd at her, though she could tell he was proud of himself. _'Stupid fire demon,'_she thought to herself and grinned when she saw him glaring at her. Hiei dropped his hands from his head and got to his feet.

"Let's go," he said. He stood above her, hand extended to help her up. She stared at it for a minute before sliding her fingers into his. His hand was warm and slightly callused from using a sword. A small shiver ran up her arm at the contact. He pulled her to her feet and she quickly withdrew her hand, surprised at her own reaction. "Where are we going?" he asked, not noticing the strange look on her face. She blinked once or twice, trying to comprehend what just happened, before muttering "shouldn't you know?" She then proceeded to tell him what she'd been up to for the past year. He nodded as she talked, though he didn't pay too much attention. He smiled faintly to himself as he listened to her chatter along. He'd missed his friend, and was content walking along in the forest, just him and her.

* * *

><p>THWACK! A loud, nauseating crack rang throughout the air, causing passing demons to stop and stare as Akina's fist connected with a guy's face. "NEVER pull a stunt like that again on ANYone! Is that clear?" she yelled down at the cowering man in front of her. He was lying on the ground, his hand at his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding, without success. Hiei watched from the sideline, eyes narrowed at the scumbag.<p>

When the two friends had arrived at this particular town earlier that morning, they had split up for a while to do their own things, each with different errands to run. The fire demon had been looking for the neko again to rejoin her and had happened to turn the corner at the exact moment some fat man walked behind Akina and decided to make a grab. Instantly, Hiei had felt a bubble of jealousy, rage, and a desire to protect his friend come up but before he could act, Akina had it all under control.

The man nodded to Akina and quickly scurried away to his group of buddies, all of whom glared at her. Hiei casually walked past the staring people and to his friend, hands shoved in pockets. "I think you should have killed him for that," Hiei commented from behind her, trying to repress the feelings he felt moments ago. He cursed himself mentally. _'Love is for the weak,'_he told himself constantly.

Akina whirled around and glared. "Why must you always do that?" she said in an attempt to sound angry, bugged because he always appears mysteriously behind her. In truth, however, she was terrified at being so close to him but at the same time, strangely happy. She felt her heart skip a beat and she couldn't meet his eyes, afraid he might see what she had hidden away from him.

It had been 40 years since Hiei had received his Jagan. Since then, he'd taught her how to make a mind barrier, for which she was grateful. Over the past few years of traveling with him, she'd begun to notice these feelings she got around him and had come to realize that she had fallen for her friend, to her horror. This was not something she had expected, and definitely not something she wanted. She didn't know how much more she could take. Love wasn't something she wanted to be burdened with. Besides, it wasn't as though Hiei would ever return the feeling. Thankfully her mind barrier prevented him from finding out by mistake.

Hiei interrupted her thoughts when he spoke up. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Later that night, Akina sat on a log as the light around her began to fade slowly. She looked up and sighed. _'What do I do?'_she asked herself. She had been pondering this question for several years now, and an answer was wriggling at the back of her mind but she refused to acknowledge it. Hiei appeared next to her and sat down, pulling her from her thoughts. She stared at him for a second, feeling heat rise to her face. Slyly, she scooted away several inches, trying to put some distance between them as if that could stop the fluttering of her heart. He didn't notice her movements. "When's Kagami coming back?" he asked with a scowl, his words dripping with hate.

Akina sighed. "I don't know. She just said she was having trouble with her granddaughter in the Living World so she'll be gone for a while. Why can't you two just get along?"

"Hn," he replied. "She's just a stupid human. I still don't understand why she lives in our world," he said, looking at the neko out of the corner of his eye.

She leaned back, using locked arms to support herself. "Neither do I. One day when you figure it out, tell me."

When Hiei and Akina had met up again 40 years previously, they had gone to the town that Akina had been pointed to in hopes of finding her father. Instead, they had found Kagami. And she was not happy. Akina received an earful for leaving her town and for not trying to find the old human. It had escalated into a shouting match between the older woman and the cat as Akina defended herself, saying she would have been killed had she stayed in her home town. When Kagami was questioned on why she was there in the first place, she gave Akina a hard look, followed by a sigh and replied that she had come to visit a friend.

The friend Kagami had been there to visit was none other than Youko Kurama, the very person Akina was searching for high and low. 20 years before that, when Akina had been chased out of her village, Kagami had returned from the Living World to find that Takara had been dead for almost a year and Akina was missing. In a wild and angry rampage, she left the town to search for the young cat. However, on the outskirts of the village, she met Youko. He was staring down at the village, arms folded, eyes burning with hate. The thief had recently received word that an older neko from that village had been killed on his behalf. He knew instantly it was his mate and he was there to avenge her.

The thief and the human were surprised to run into each other, having met only once on the night Youko had left for good. Kagami told the fox that she planned on finding Akina, and asked if he wished to come. The fox hesitated before responding that he would not go with her, but asked her to keep in contact so he could know everything he could about his daughter. He also asked her to not let her know where he was. She had studied him and seen the guilt he felt for leaving them in the first place. It was clear that he blamed Takara's death on himself and he did not want to have to face his daughter with that knowledge. She told him she would keep her acquaintance with him a secret, then watched as the fox made his way into the village. She turned away when she heard the screams begin. Later, she learned that the entire population of the town had been slaughtered.

After Kagami finally found Akina, Hiei and Kagami had clashed, to say the least. The constant bickering could drive anyone mad. Kagami then joined up with Akina and Hiei and had been traveling with them on and off for the past 40 years, much to Hiei's dismay.

Back in the present, Akina stood up and stretched. "Well Tri-Eye," he gave a small scowl at the name but said nothing, "I'm going to go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning." She poked him in the nose as she walked past, earning another scowl but she just smiled.

_'What do I do?'_ she asked herself again as she lied in bed in the motel room the two were staying at for the night. She contemplated this for a while. Love was not something she was used to. Her own father, someone who claimed he loved his mate dearly, had left them before she was even born. The memory of what she told her mother when she was six-years-old came back to her.

_"Well, I think he should have stayed. If I were him, I would have. I wouldn't leave someone I love. And if I did decide to leave, I'd take them with me."_

But what else was she supposed to do? Hiei could never feel the same way as her and being around him was becoming too painful. And so she came to a decision. It ripped her heart out just thinking about it, leaving the only person who ever made her happy. But it was the only way. No one wanted to stick around with a one-sided love.

Hiei, in the bed on the other side of the room, could hear Akina tossing and turning and knew there was something on her mind. Something that had obviously been bothering her for some time now. He cursed himself for teaching her to make a mind block but shrugged it off. He knew his friend. If something important was on her mind, she would tell him. With that thought left to comfort him, he fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

><p>"Hiei," Akina started off quietly the next morning as the two of them began to set off. They were in the middle of a town, getting ready to continue in the direction they were last pointed in. "I need to talk to you," she said quietly. Hiei glanced at her and saw the desperation in her eyes. He nodded silently and they moved out of the center of town. They walked for several minutes away from the city to ensure their privacy, before they finally stopped.<p>

"What's wrong, koneko? Something's bothering you," Hiei stated, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Hiei," she started off again, staring at the ground. "I'm leaving."

He just stared at her. "Then I'm coming with you," he said carelessly. It was clear that he thought she meant something else.

"You don't understand," she said quietly, still refusing to make eye contact. In the distance, the trickling of a stream could be heard, something that would usually calm the neko but not right now. "I'm leaving and I don't think I'll be back."

The fire demon stared at her, uncomprehending. "You're leaving. For good," he repeated dumbly. She nodded. The words rolled around uselessly in his mind. They had known each other for half a century. He had confided in her. He had trusted her. He had come to love her. The thought of her leaving him now, with no provocation, was something he had not been expecting.

However, the look of determination in her eyes finally convinced him that she meant what she said. "What?" he exclaimed angrily, as the words took on a new meaning. "You can't just leave!" he exploded. "If you're leaving, I'm coming with you whether you like it or not," he stated stubbornly, repeating the words she spoke when he declared that he was leaving to get a jagan. He crossed his arms and glared vehemently.

She looked up at him. "No," she said firmly and frantically. "This is something...I need to be...I have to go alone," she said, trying to decide her words carefully.

Hiei studied her closely. After sixty years, he knew his friend quite well. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and still refused to make eye contact. "You're hiding something," he accused suddenly.

Akina stared hard at the ground. "Never from you, Hiei," she lied in a whisper. She longed to tell him the truth but she knew he would never feel the same way. She would only end up hurt. Better to hurt him first.

"I've known you for over 60 years, koneko. Don't think you can lie to me. Tell me what you're hiding." His body was rigid, his voice tense. There was no way he would just let her leave, especially not without a reason. If it were for maybe a year or so, like himself, he wouldn't care. But forever?

This time, she looked up and met his gaze. "I'm not hiding anything," she said firmly. So badly she wanted to lean forward and kiss him, tell him that she loved him, tell him that she was his forever. But like he said, they had been friends for over half a century: she knew him. He would never feel the same way about her.

Hiei felt an unfamiliar feeling rise up inside of him, something he had only felt a handful of times in his life: fear. A thought came to his mind, a way to make her stay. A frustrated noise of anger escaped him and, with a "baka koneko!" he turned and disappeared into the forest, running as fast as he could. Akina stared after him. Was he coming back? She didn't know. So, she found a nearby rock and sat down, waiting. He wouldn't just leave like that without saying good-bye so she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The day passed slowly and faded into night, which then turned, once again, into day.

She waited one more day but, as the sky began to darken yet again, she knew she couldn't sit there any longer, waiting for something she wasn't even sure would happen. She stood up and brushed herself off. Her eyes filled up with tears but she refused to let them fall. "Good-bye, Hiei. My Tri-Eye," she whispered, wishing could have at least said good-bye to his face. With that, she turned and began walking down the path into the fading light, never looking back.

At that precise moment, Hiei staggered into the area she was just sitting at where he had left her. He looked down the road and saw her walking away and out of his life. He swore violently, then debated on whether or not he should chase after her, tell her the truth. But he was not one for extravagant shows of affection. In the end, he decided against it, knowing she could never feel the same way. And so, he closed off his heart and locked away his emotions, falling into state of rage and bitterness as he watched his kitten disappear. "Good-bye, Akina," he muttered quietly.

And now, 120 years later, thunder boomed in the distance, waking her up from her sleep.

Akina jolted upright, breathing hard and sweat pouring down her face. She glanced around her, trying to remember where she was before realizing that she was alone. Like always. With a sigh, she fell back against her cot and stared up at the ceiling, listening to the rain outside as it hit the ground and splashed in puddles.

_'That's the fifth time this week I've had that dream. All these memories... what does it mean?'_she thought, rolling over. She sighed again and reached up to scratch a silver cat ear.

_'Hiei...I wonder where he is. It's been so long. I wonder how he's doing and if he ever found Yukina...'_ Her eyes dropped closed as she tried to fall asleep again. Might as well not worry about the dreams or Hiei. It was not like she'd ever see the fire demon again anyway. He was nothing more than a distant past, a memory to be revisited whenever she felt too lonely and heartsick.

Her mind, however, did not seem to accept its own decision. She tossed and turned, unable to return to sleep. A string of swear words flooded the cave she was currently living in as she finally gave up. With a groan, she got to her feet, wincing as the cold of the cave floor contacted her bare feet. Slowly, she made her way to the mouth of her cave and sat down at the entrance. The rain was beginning to let up for the moment, coming down in a drizzle. The smell of damp earth comforted her and she inhaled deeply. She leaned against the cave wall, feeling her heart break for what felt like the millionth time. _'I never should have left...'_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Thanks to everyone who has been reading! I'm sorry that these first four chapters feel a bit rushed but it's more to give the background of what's going on from here on out. I'll get the next one posted as soon as possible. Thanks again and please review! :)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Her feet pounded the ground as she ran through the forest, dodging low branches and roots that were sticking up enough to trip her. The sun had just barely sunk behind the mountains, giving off enough light so that when she looked behind her, she could see that they were, unfortunately, still following her. Up ahead, she saw her cave and gladly rushed toward it. It wasn't a question of outrunning them; she could do that in her sleep. It was a matter of evading them without running faster than a normal human should and attracting too much attention.

The rain nearly blinded her as she ran, streaming out of her orange hair and into her golden eyes. She quickly blinked to clear her vision, and looked back once again. She swore at her awful luck and continued to curse the pursuers. _'Stupid humans...'_Her thoughts were bitter. The dark mouth of her cave came into view and a sigh of relief escaped from her as she dove inside. Her breathing was even as she pressed herself up against the wall out of view. It didn't even feel as though she had been running. The idiots ran by, not even noticing that she disappeared.

Akina let out another sigh and mumbled to herself, "I'm so sick of men. The next man I see, I'll rip his head off." She began to wring out her hair as she turned toward the darkness of her cave that she currently called home. Once she turned around, however, she stopped short. "Oh look. More men," she said flatly, not too pleased when she noticed three boys staring at her. She took a brief moment to be thankful for not revealing her cat ears and tail just yet. "What do you want?" she asked wearily, not really in the mood to deal with anybody. However, she could tell these three were different. They had high spirit energy levels, which was odd for humans. Not to mention the fact that a tiny bit of demon energy was mixed in as well.

She could only see their outlines and faintly some of their features but not any distinguishing ones. The boy on the far right spoke up after a moment or so. "Pardon us for intruding; do you live here?" he asked politely, indicating to the pile of items in the very back, which included small cot, a large pile of blankets, a pillow, and a trunk full of her clothes and other necessities.

About five years ago, Akina had moved here to the Living World, having heard that Youko Kurama had come here. No one had told her whether or not he was still alive or his reasons for fleeing Demon World but she continued on anyway, following the only lead she had. She had arrived in a city near northern Japan. Slowly, she worked her way southward until she arrived in Tokyo, her favorite city so far. She lived in a cave, about several miles away from the outer edges of the city and had lived there for about 5 or 6 months. The skills she had acquired, first with Hiei and later as she branched out on her own, were something she still used on a daily basis. It was not uncommon for her to wander into the city under a different alias each time and work her way into different social groups. Only recently was she on the verge of finding vital information but it was necessary to wait a few more months and go deeper.

"Yes I do," she replied, standing just a foot or so inside the cave. The water was dripping off her and into a puddle at her feet with a faint trickling noise. "What are you doing here?" she asked, uncertain about having three humans in her cave.

The three boys exchanged glances before the one on the left spoke up this time. "We got caught in the rain. We were going to wait here until it stopped," the boy said. His tone was cocky and somewhat familiar. She frowned, trying to place it.

"If it's alright with you," the boy on the right added. He was squinting at her, trying to make out her features. No one moved and it fell silent except for the sound of the rain outside as she debated this. Finally, she sniffed and, careful not to step or drip on anyone, she walked past them and opened the trunk in the back of the cave. A bright purple towel was found and she draped it over her shoulders before she continued rummaging. After a minute or so, she pulled out a lantern and a pack of matches. The boys watched with curious eyes as she struck a match and carefully lit the lantern. It sprang to life and illuminated the cave with a soft glow. She walked back to her visitors and sat on the other side of them, her back facing the entrance.

When the light of the lantern fell over their faces, however, Akina blinked in surprise before smiling. "It's nice to see all three of you again," she said. "Of course you guys can stay here until the rain stops. I don't mind. As long as Yusuke and Kuwabara mind themselves." She didn't mind these three. She knew they wouldn't make a move on her or take advantage of the fact that she was alone.

Confusion came to all three of their faces, each studying the girl in front of them in hope of recognizing her. The boy on the right spoke up again, hesitantly. "Do you know us?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Shuichi, who _doesn't_know Yusuke? He has a certain reputation, you know. The same goes for Kuwabara, though his reputation is on a... lower scale," she said, smiling at all three boys as she used the towel to dry her hair.

The one known as Shuichi chuckled. "That's certainly true. But may I ask how you know myself?"

"You don't give yourself enough credit. The work you have accomplished since you graduated high school is... extraordinary." Shuichi did not reply, though he continued to watch her with dark green eyes.

The boy in the middle, the one who had not spoken up yet, had a pained look on his face, as though he was thinking for the first time in his life. "I've never seen you before. I think I'd remember someone as beautiful as you!" he added with a large smile.

"Yeah, I've never seen you before either," Yusuke said from the left, also staring at her intently. "I'd remember your hair." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. _'Ahh, so _that's_ where the intense spirit energy is coming from. Interesting...'_

She smiled again, using the towel to dry her arms and legs. "Let's just say that when I see you guys around, I don't typically look as I do now." Sometimes when she went into town to gather information, she went as a cat. It was easy to slip into areas that people might not want a grown girl to wander into. After all, who is going to suspect that a cat might be eavesdropping?

"So, what brings you out in the middle of the forest?" she asked, putting the now wet towel down on the ground next to her. "Not many people make it out this far."

"We were looking for something," Yusuke replied vaguely. She stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue but he didn't. He stared back, though, his brown eyes studying her keenly.

"Would you mind telling us if you've seen anything... weird?" Shuichi asked politely. She turned her gaze to him and stared into his green eyes, which were also watching her intently. His eyes held a confusion that she didn't understand, not knowing that inside Shuichi's mind, a mental battle was raging on. _'She looks so much like her... but she's dead... she would not be in the human world. Besides, this is only an ordinary human girl.'_

She thought about it for a second. _'Define weird. I saw a demon a few days ago but that doesn't concern you,'_ she thought to herself before answering. "No, I haven't. Everything's been peaceful enough up here." The lie came easily.

Yusuke was still staring at her. "Why are you living in a cave?" he asked bluntly. Kuwabara nodded in agreement next to him. Both of them were soaking wet and looked cold. Goosebumps ran up and down their arms and Kuwabara's teeth were chattering. She quickly got up again and grabbed three or four blankets from the pile in the rear of the cave. Walking back to where she was sitting, she gave each boy a blanket. They took them gratefully, wrapping them around their shoulders.

"I don't have any money," she said, answering the fighter's question carefully as she took her own seat and wrapped a blanket around herself. "Trust me, I've tried to find a job so I can rent an apartment but it's difficult when no one will hire you. They don't like my hair color. They're afraid I'm some irresponsible punk." Truthfully, she didn't mind living in a cave. In fact, it was almost preferable. It provided a certain privacy that an apartment building wouldn't. She'd lived in a cave for the past 160 years, ever since Hiei suddenly decided to get his jagan.

She swore mentally at herself. _'Stay out of my head!'_she yelled mentally at her own brain as those thoughts crossed her mind. The stupid fire demon kept popping up in her head at the most random moments, always distracting her. "What?" she asked. One of them had said something while she was arguing with herself.

"I _said_," Yusuke started again, irritated, "what about your parents? Don't you live with them or don't they give you money?"

Akina shrugged. "What parents?" Kuwabara and Shuichi stared at her but Yusuke averted his gaze, embarrassed.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay."

Everything fell into an awkward silence, and she stared into the lamplight. His question didn't bother or offend her. She had long ago accepted the fact that she was alone. After a minute or so, Kuwabara piped up, shattering the quiet like a fragile vase. "So, where's the shrimp? How come he didn't want to come with us?" he asked the other two boys.

"Yeah, Shuichi. He can't just not come," Yusuke said, putting his hands behind his head and looking at the ceiling. "Even though it is nice to not have to listen to him and Kuwabara arguing about nothing all the time." Kuwabara started muttering colorful language under his breath, cursing the shrimp, whoever that was.

Shuichi sighed. "I must agree with you Yusuke. It has been oddly peaceful." Kuwabara shot him a glare. "But he said he didn't want to help this time and it's not like we can make him. Besides, it appears his presence would have been unnecessary." Akina looked from one boy to the next, extremely confused, but didn't ask what they were talking about. It wasn't her business. Shuichi turned back to her. "What were you running from when you first arrived?" he asked, then hastily added, "If you don't mind my asking."

"Hn," she grunted, looking away. It was not something she'd typically say. It was more of Hiei's word, rather than hers but the occasion called for it. _'Stupid fire demon!'_ she screamed at herself as his image popped up again in her mind. _'Leave me alone! Why are you haunting me like this?'_ The past fifty years had been peaceful for her, leaving her free from the memories that usually haunted her. After the incident… well she certainly wasn't going to think about _that_. Even fifty years later, it was too painful to remember "the incident." But for some reason, despite "the incident" and the fact that she constantly pushed the thought of Hiei away, the memory of him had resurfaced this last week, nagging at her constantly and picking at the wounds on her heart.

Kuwabara and Yusuke burst out laughing. "She sounds like Shorty!" Kuwabara choked out. Honestly, she didn't find anything amusing about that. What morons.

She glared. "Just a bunch of boys," she mumbled, answering Shuichi's question. "For some reason they thought it might be fun to terrorize me. I'm not sure if they wanted to rob me or to hurt me. But it doesn't matter. They are gone."

Kuwabara jumped up when she paused, his blanket falling from his shoulders and landing in a heap on the floor around him. "How dare they lay their hands on such an innocent, beautiful girl!" he said loudly. He then walked over and crouched in front of her, grasping her hands firmly in his own, catching her off guard. "I will protect you, my love," he said, staring into her golden eyes and conveniently forgetting about his ice maiden.

Akina made a face but before she could say or do anything, Yusuke's fist smashed into the top of his friend's head. "Kuwabara, you idiot! You're just as bad as them!" he yelled down at Kuwabara before he kicked him once, just for laughs. He turned to her. "If they bother you so much, why not learn to fight? I'll teach ya!" he said proudly, pointing to himself with his thumb.

She'd seen Yusuke fight. Yusuke was not one for subtleties and in her cat form, she had run across him many times picking fights. He had always interested her. In some ways he reminded her of herself and how she used to be, long ago. Because she tailed Yusuke so much, she'd also run into Kuwabara many times. They were both extremely excellent fighters.

"Thanks Yusuke but I can already fight. I had to learn how in order to survive. In fact, I could probably kick your ass. I don't fight those other boys because I don't want to take what pride they have left, which will be none once they realize I outran them," she lied again. She _used _to be able to fight. Back before fifty years ago, she _could_ have whipped Yusuke's ass. Not anymore.

She smiled, though, as she saw Yusuke getting angry at her comment. "Whadaya mean you could kick my ass?" he asked, his pride obviously hurt. "I'll fight you, right here and now, Squirt!" he said, getting in a fighting stance. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the jab at her size but instead of saying anything, she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Urameshi! No!" Kuwabara yelled, jumping up and latching onto Yusuke's back. "You can't fight her! She's a girl!" Shuichi sighed and stared at the two wearily as they began bickering again.

Akina scooted over until she was sitting next to him. "You must get sick of them." He nodded in reply, then turned to look at her. Her eyes widened for a moment and she stared back.

Shuichi had always been a person of interest to the young girl as well. He was mysterious to her. There was a pull to him that she couldn't describe. Sometimes she felt as though she knew him. Once, she followed him around town for a whole week to see if he would do anything she might recognize or meet anyone she might know. However, all she learned was that the human lived alone with his mother and that he was incredibly intelligent. But she could never shake the feeling that he was important to her somehow. And now, with his gaze turned directly at her, she saw an ageless depth in his green eyes and knew there was more to him than he let on. Shuichi Minamino, she realized, was much, much smarter and much more dangerous than meets the eye.

"What do you mean you had to learn to fight to survive?" Shuichi asked, oblivious to the thoughts in her mind. The other two stopped when they heard this question, curious, though Yusuke didn't let go of his head lock on Kuwabara.

"I was picked on a lot as a kid. My mom didn't like it, so she taught me how to fight," she said quietly. It was the very basic truth, curving almost into a lie but not quite. So much was left out, but that was good enough for these humans.

"What about your father?" Shuichi asked. His gaze was hard, studying her, watching her. "Where was he?"

"Dead," she lied flatly, and saw the red-head's green eyes flash with… disappointment? Relief? Something she couldn't place.

Kuwabara opened his mouth, presumably to ask a question but she continued before he could. "But it's no big deal. I didn't know him that well anyway," she quickly added before any more questions could be asked.

Suddenly, a ringing sound cut through the air, startling everyone. Yusuke let go of Kuwabara and he crashed to the floor. The detective's eyes flashed to Akina and he said, "I'll be right back." He walked to the mouth of the cave and pulled something out of his pocket. If she didn't know any better, she would say it was a compact mirror. But whatever it was, he stood at the entrance, staring into something as he talked.

Meanwhile, she fell back into memory lane, forgetting her surroundings as the other two boys watched Yusuke, silent so he could hear whoever he was talking to. Absentmindedly, she reached a hand up and began playing with her silver butterfly necklace, the one her mother gave to her so long ago. It had become a habit of hers, something to relax her and more often than not, it was something she was unaware she was doing. The necklace was the only thing she had left of her mother and it had become a comfort to her in her loneliness the last fifty years. It was even more of a reassurance knowing that it had come from her father and was given to her mother. It was something from the both of them.

After a minute or so, Yusuke came back in, jerking her back to reality. Quickly, Akina stuck the necklace underneath her shirt. "Well guys, Junior wants to have a chat," he grumbled, eyes flickering to her again. Kuwabara groaned. Shuichi stood up.

"You guys are leaving?" she asked, also standing. Her blanket fell to the floor.

Shuichi smiled apologetically as he folded up the blanket he was using. "Thank you for allowing us to stay here until the rain passes." Yusuke and Kuwabara quickly followed the read-head's lead and began folding their own blankets.

"But it hasn't stopped raining," she said, looking outside. If anything, it was coming down even harder. There were puddles that looked as though they were deep enough to take you to the other side of the world. Besides, she liked the company. She hadn't talked to anyone without a hidden agenda in a long time. It was a nice change.

"Duty calls," Yusuke mumbled, obviously not pleased with it. He started muttering under his breath, something about "stupid toddler" and "not enough time."

"All right. I guess I actually have something I need to take care of anyway so I need to leave as well," she said, still staring outside. "Try not to get too wet on your way to where ever it is you're going." Suddenly, she turned and faced the tallest of the boys. "And Kuwabara," she said, looking up at him. He faced her as well, startled at being addressed so abruptly. "Before I forget, I owe you one for saving my life the other day." Before he could say anything or ask what she was talking about, she quickly said, "See you guys later!" and walked out into the rain in the opposite direction.

"What did she mean by that?" Yusuke asked Kuwabara as they watched her disappear in the rain before they turned and started walking away. Kuwabara shrugged.

"I've never seen her before," he replied. He thought back over the past few days. The only thing he remembered saving was that silver kitten that was almost hit by a car. He almost sacrificed his own life to save it, too. Its foot was stuck on something in the middle of the road and it couldn't get it off. He had seen the car and jumped into the road, carefully picking up the cat and bringing it to safety. It had purred and nuzzled him, obviously showing its appreciation, before giving one last look with its intelligent golden eyes and darting off.

Kuwabara was jerked from his thoughts as a black blur rushed toward them and stopped less than a foot in front of the three boys. He stumbled and tripped, landing on his face. "Fool," the short figure said, staring down at Kuwabara as he lied in the mud. Yusuke snickered at his.

"Hello Hiei," Kurama said with a small smile. "Are you here to bring us to Koenma?" He only received a grunt in reply and something about "taking too long."

"Let's go talk to binky face and get it over with," Yusuke said, starting forward again. "The sooner we're done, the better. Keiko wants to go out tonight." The rain was relentless. Their clothes were now completely soaked and hair was hanging in their faces, for those of them who had long enough hair to be in the way.

"Wait a second guys!" Kuwabara yelled, still laying in the mud as the rain pounded down on him. He sat up and the other three stopped to turn and look at him.

"Hurry up, you big oaf. Any slower and you'd be moving backwards," Hiei said, bored and irritated, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Why you little-" Kuwabara cut off his own threat as he remembered what he was going to say. "We didn't even learn that girl's name!" he said, looking to where she disappeared. He finally stood up, mud dripping off him and hitting the ground with loud squelching sounds.

"You stopped us for some stupid girl?" Hiei asked in the same monotone voice. He turned before he received a reply and started to walk again, Yusuke following him. The thoroughly muddy Kuwabara waddled behind, leaving a muddy trail in his wake as he muttered darkly about Hiei.

Kurama, however, stayed where he was, watching where the girl left. A small frown obstructed his features as he remembered someone: a cat with orange hair, blue eyes, and red fur on her ears and tail. "Takara," he whispered quietly, the familiar pang of sadness rippling through him as he remembered his mate. This young girl reminded him so much of her…

"Kurama!" Yusuke's voice pulled him back to the present. "C'mon! Let's go!" Kurama quickly turned around and followed his teammates through the pouring rain. As always, he pushed away the emotions he'd been avoiding for the past two hundred years, wishing that he had met his daughter while he'd had the chance before she had died fifty years ago.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Thanks again everyone for reading! Just to warn you all, chapter 5 and on used to be written in second person (you format) in the present tense. I changed them all to third person past tense. I'm pretty sure I corrected it all, but if you run across a weird sounding sentence that was missed, let me know. I'll try to get these out as fast as I can. Thanks again and please review! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Two weeks passed by uneventfully for the Spirit Detective and his team. No one brought up the strange girl they met in the cave outside of town, but no one had forgotten her, either. The red-haired fox in particular seemed to be unable to remove her from his mind. The resemblance to his mate was so striking, but he knew there was no possible way it could actually be his daughter. Kagami had told him that she had died so many years ago. Besides that, the girl had no trace of demon energy. But even in spite of this knowledge, he couldn't seem to shake her. The thought of a young human girl living in a cave, all alone, with no parents, bothered him.

He was still pondering this, unsure if he should attempt to help her in some way, as he entered Koenma's office. Yusuke and Kuwabara were already there, waiting.

Upon seeing the arrival of Kurama, Koenma spoke up."Good. You're here. I have a mission for you," Koenma said. He sat up straight in his over large chair, his hands resting on his desk next to a tall stack of papers. A red rubber stamp lay to next to the pile, ready to be used but looking worn around the edges from excessive use. "I need you to-where's Hiei?" he asked, realizing the fire demon was not present. Kurama just sighed and shook his head, indicating that the fire demon was not coming. Koenma glared."Fine. I need you three to retrieve a necklace for me."

"A necklace?" Yusuke asked with a smirk. "Geez, Koenma, I knew you had problems, but this-"

"SHUT UP, YUSUKE!" Koenma yelled, face red as he stood up on his chair. He put his hands on his desk and leaned forward, his voice whiney. "This isn't any ordinary necklace! It was stolen from the vault over 200 years ago and then taken to the Makai! Only recently have we picked up where it is and who has it!"

"So that doesn't explain what's so special about it," the detective said irritably. "Are you sure you don't want it because you think it looks pretty? Besides, we don't even technically work for you, not since the Demon World Tournament last year." He had walked out on another date with Keiko just to come here. He could practically feel the slap when he saw her next.

The toddler glared vehemently at him, unappreciative of the disrespect, before plopping back down into his chair with his arms folded. "Fine. Tens of thousands of years ago, in the Demon World, there was a queen over all of demon world. At the time, there was only one ruler, that's all. Queen Kaida was ruthless, a merciless killer who would do anything to maintain her power. She was immensely powerful and extremely strict in her laws. Demons feared her, and for good reason." Koenma stopped for a moment to take a breath, then continued in his serious voice.

"One day, she vanished mysteriously, for about one year. Demons began to fight over the now empty throne, determined to make it their own and change the way they lived. Eventually the fighting ceased as one powerful demon began to take over. But, unexpectedly, just as he was about to claim the throne for his own, Kaida returned. But she was different."

"How was she different?" Kuwabara asked when the young prince paused.

"Well, for starters, she had a baby with her, a child. No one understood where it could possibly have come from. The demon who was going to take his position as leader quickly fled in fear upon her arrival but Kaida, as said before, was different. People say she was distant, in her own world. They say her eyes lost the cold hatred they had once possessed as she fondly took care of what was assumed to be her child. Although she had changed, people could not forgive her for what she had done to them. So, they formed a group against her and planned to ambush her.

"Quickly, she put most, if not all, of her power into two blue sapphires and attached them onto a necklace. She came to my father and asked him to please hold it for her. She seemed desperate and even my father had to admit she wasn't the cold, heartless woman she had once been. She asked him to hold the necklace and give it to the child, her son, when he became old enough to rule the Demon World in her place. My father told her he would, but he had no intentions of surrendering that kind of power to what was assumed to become a ruthless child. Kaida left and was killed. After that, another demon took the throne and things went on from there. But then, about two hundred years ago, someone broke in and stole it. We have not seen it since. Here's a picture of it."

"That's a touching story and all, binky breath, but what are we supposed to do about it?" Yusuke asked, glancing at the necklace on the screen that slid into view. Kurama looked up and stared for a moment. Once he saw the silver butterfly with a small sapphire on each wing, he shifted his weight uncomfortably, realizing that this is the necklace he stole so long ago in his old days as Youko Kurama and had then given to his mate.

Koenma glared again at the interruption and continued through gritted teeth. "We have located the general position of the necklace and who has it. We need you to retrieve it. For some reason, some of the energy has been released, which is why we were able to find it. Demons will be swarming to her like hornets. We know nothing about her. She's not in the records. I advise extreme caution when approaching her. We are not sure if she is human or something else. Here is a picture of the girl "

Koenma pushed a button on the remote."You have a picture of her but you don't have any records on her? How does that make sense?" Yusuke asked. The picture changed on the screen from the necklace to the girl. He glanced at it and did a double take, his eyes wide. "Holy shit! Are you sure this is the girl who has it?"

Koenma nodded. "Positive. We don't know her name, race, age... Anything."

Kurama walked forward slightly, a small frown on his face as he stared at the picture. The girl on the photo was walking through town at the time it was taken. She was alone, her hands in the pockets of her coat and the wind blowing her hair lightly. It was easy to identify her for her hair color gave her away. But now that Kurama knew she had the necklace, a connection took form in his mind. An idea he hoped to never have sprang forward and he tentatively grabbed it. Thoughts raced through his mind and he sifted through all the information he had ever received about this girl, deciding what must be false and what must be true since it was apparent that she was alive. He never took his eyes off the picture as he said, "Akina. Her name is Akina."

Koenma, Yusuke, and Kuwabara all turned to look at him. "How do you know that?" Kuwabara asked, taking a look at the picture. "She never told us."

Kurama ignored him, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. "Her name is Akina," he repeated. To the others, it looked as though he could care less about this girl but on the inside, he felt himself falling apart. Remembering to breathe was becoming a chore. "She is a demon, half neko, half kitsune. She lived in the demon world most of her life but disappeared from what seems like existence 50 years ago," he said, thinking back to all the things Kagami ever told him.

He remembered the stories Kagami told him whenever they met: how Takara was burned to death and Akina was chased from the city; how Akina met a boy, fell in love, and left; how Akina and Kagami traveled together after that until Akina vanished fifty years before. Kagami had sent him a letter, telling him that his daughter was dead and he had tried in vain to remember the name of Akina's old friend that saved her life many years ago so that he might find her friend and ask him some questions, learning about the daughter he never got the chance to meet. Kurama looked away from the picture, unable to look at it anymore. "We know where she lives, sir. She said she doesn't stay at her...home, if you will, most of the time so Yusuke and Kuwabara can search the city. I will check her cave, though I doubt she'll be there. And do not worry: we will bring her here."

* * *

><p>Akina walked through the streets of Tokyo, lost in thought. Smells of restaurants wafted through doors and out to the streets as she passed them, making her mouth water. Kids ran through the crowds, laughing and screaming, making her smile as she dodged them. High school students crowded around street corners in groups, talking with one another. Some couples walked past her, holding hands and laughing, making her feel heartsick, but she quickly shoved thoughts of Hiei away, as usual.<p>

"Hey Akina!" a boy said as she walked past. She turned her head to face the person who spoke her name. She kept walking, but smiled when she saw who it was.

"Hey Heiji," she said with a smile to one of the many boys and girls that said hello. While in Tokyo, in her searches, she had made a few friends and they were glad to greet her as she passed them on the street.

As she walked, the people around her began to dissipate, the flow of foot traffic slowing to a trickle. A large building loomed above her as she neared it. A small, yellow piece of paper in of her pocket confirmed the address. _'This is it,'_ she thought, then sighed. These condos were way too nice for her to ever live in. _'I'll never be able to afford a place here in Tokyo. Maybe I should just keep wandering...'_ She sighed again. She didn't mind her cave but she didn't know how long she would be here. The information she needed had not been retrieved and living in a cave during the winter was not something she wanted to do, despite the fact that winter was still a few months off. Shoving the thought of her living arrangements until later, she kept walking until she rounded the corner.

At that same moment, Yusuke and Kuwabara walked out of the exact building she had been looking at: Yusuke's building.

"How are we supposed to find that girl?" Kuwabara asked. "What did Kurama say her name was? Akina?"

"Yeah," Yusuke replied. He had his hands locked behind his head as he walked, staring up at the sky. "I wonder how he knew that, though. Even Koenma didn't know."

"Yeah, I never thought I'd see the day..." he trailed off, and looked ahead. "Hey Urameshi, there's some weird energy coming from that direction." He pointed to where Akina had just disappeared around the corner moments before.

Yusuke smirked. "Maybe there's a lost demon who needs to find his way home." He and Kuwabara exchanged grins then quickly set off in the direction of the strange energy. They turned another corner, just in time to see a head of orange hair turn the corner at the other end. Yusuke and Kuwabara froze. Yusuke pointed. "Did you see that?" he asked. Kuwabara nodded and they took off running.

The young neko kept twisting through the streets, hands shoved in jacket pockets and wondering what to do with herself. A weird sensation came over her and she froze, confused. It was a pulsating feeling. Very strong demon energy was nearby. Cautiously, she glanced around, unsure of where it was coming from. She sniffed the air, using her cat senses to see if she could sniff it out. To her surprise, she realized it was coming from her. Looking down, she saw the sapphires on her necklace were glowing through her shirt. "What the hell?" she muttered, picking it up and holding it in front of her, examining it. She jumped when she heard someone shouting. Glancing around quickly, she dropped the glowing necklace back under her shirt. She'd have to inspect it later when humans weren't around.

Stopping, she listened harder, wishing she had her cat ears out so she could hear a little better to know who was calling her, or if she was just imagining it. Then she heard it again: "Akina!" Surprised, she turned around to see who on earth would want her attention so badly. To her bewilderment, it was the last two people she expected to see. She waited for Yusuke and Kuwabara to catch up and greeted them with a smile. Yusuke seemed fine but Kuwabara was out of breath. "You... walk... fast..." Kuwabara panted. Yusuke just sighed.

"Hey guys. What's up?" she asked, staring up at them. They towered over her short frame.

"We haven't seen you for a while and we were starting to get a bit worried," Yusuke said, hands still shoved in his jeans pockets. He was smiling but his eyes looked a little less trusting than they did last time she saw him. Not completely untrusting but that look people get in their eyes when they think you're one thing and find out you're something totally different.

The orange-haired cat looked back and forth suspiciously between the two of them: Yusuke's interesting look and the goofy grin on Kuwabara's face. "Um... yeah, I should have told you that you wouldn't really ever see me much," she said slowly, cautiously and unsure. It was odd that they would be concerned about her in the first place. The boys had only actually met her the one time.

"Well, since we've found you, wanna hang out with us?" Yusuke asked casually and at her questioning look he hastily added, "We're just going to meet a friend of ours. Wanna come?"

She eyed him for a second. "Well aren't you nice and vague. Do you ask kids if they want candy, too?" she asked jokingly before breaking out in a smile. She knew these two. She'd followed them enough to know they wouldn't hurt her. "Ok, sure. Where's Shuichi? I thought he'd be with you two, since you three seem to be good friends." The two humans in front of her exchanged glances.

"Well, uh, Shuichi is-" Kuwabara started.

"Right here," a voice said behind her. She had not heard him come up behind her. She turned around to see Shuichi, a smile on his face, though it didn't seem to reach his green eyes. They seemed rather dead compared to when she just saw them two weeks ago. _'All of them are acting strange. I wonder if something happened.'_

"Are you coming, too?" she asked Shuichi as the four of them began walking down the street, Shuichi on her left, Yusuke on her right, and Kuwabara on his right. She looked up at the tall red-head, expecting him to respond verbally but instead, all he did was give her a curt nod, refusing to look down at her, keeping his gaze straight ahead. Everything fell into an uncomfortable silence. "So...where are we going?"

"This way," Yusuke replied, still vague, as the three started to veer off into a park. Now she was starting to get suspicious. They were guiding her toward the trees. It was a secluded place, out of the way where no one usually wandered. An alarm went off inside her head and she frowned. From her observations of these boys, they didn't seem the type to take her to the trees and take advantage of her. Especially Kuwabara. He had his code.

Yusuke seemed to notice her hesitation and smiled reassuringly down at her. She looked at the other two. Shuichi was still avoiding her gaze and Kuwabara looked smug, like he'd just accomplished something. Her muscles tensed as her body sensed the possible danger. If she had to, she would run.

They were entering the thicket of trees now. The view of the park vanished as they disappeared behind a larger tree and they were now truly cut off from the world. Yusuke placed his hand on her back and gently pushed her forward. She obliged, glancing left and right for a way to escape. Just as she was about to make a run for it, she stepped through something and for a moment, it felt as though she was falling. Her stomach dropped unpleasantly at the unexpected sensation and she resisted the urge to scream. But it was over in an instant as her feet slammed to the ground. She stumbled forward, unable to regain her balance from the unexpected contact but before she could actually land on her face, gentle hands grabbed her upper arms from behind. They steadied her, then let go. Whipping around, she saw Shuichi regarding her carefully. His eyes were closed off, revealing nothing of what he was thinking.

Her breathing was starting to come out faster as she stared at the three boys, completely caught off guard. The trees were gone. Instead, a large, purple palace shot up past her, almost disappearing into the sky. The doors were sealed tightly closed with only an intercom next to it. It was a very plain building but she knew exactly where she was.

"Spirit World?" she squeaked. "You brought me to Spirit World? You're the Spirit Detectives?"

At that, Yusuke's brown eyes narrowed and he peered at her through his lashes. "No. We are not the Spirit Detectives." His voice was low and dangerous. In spite of herself, Akina took a step back, surprised.

Shuichi was the one to explain, peering down at her thoughtfully. "Yusuke used to be the Spirit Detective a few years back, before the Demon World Tournament. However, King Yama does not trust Yusuke or the rest of us anymore. However, Koenma occasionally asks us for favors. Off the books, of course."

Akina thought about this, mulling over his words. "And you guys comply? Why would you work for the people who don't trust you? Seems sort of counterproductive."

"Yeah, well, we get bored," Yusuke pitched in, folding his arms over his chest. "Kicking a little demon butt from time to time is worth it."

"Human World is our home! We gotta protect it!" Kuwabara said enthusiastically, pumping his fist into the air.

Yusuke rolled his eyes at his friend's enthusiasm. "And we gotta protect you," he joked, punching his friend in the arm.

Akina glowered at them. Kick demon butt? What were they going to do, pin her down and beat the shit out of her? She'd like to see them try. Shuichi noticed the look on her face and gave her a reassuring smile. "Do not worry: Koenma wants to speak to you due to other reasons. We won't hurt you." The tone of his voice was so convincing that she found herself nodding and following them before she even realized what she was doing.

The three boys walked her forward and through the front door, down a few halls and to another room, full of scrambling ogres doing paper work. She couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at the sight, despite the situation. After all, it wasn't something one sees every day. In the back of the room was another door, which slid open as it was approached and the four entered. In that room was a desk covered with papers. Behind it was a baby dressed in blue and the chair he sat in seemed far too large for him. A tall hat perched on his head with the word "Jr" written near the bottom and a pacifier stuck out of his mouth. He had a stamp. A red one. There was a flurry of papers as he stamped them, then tossed them to the side. When Shuichi coughed however, the toddler looked up, stopping in mid stamp. "Oh. I see you found her."

She just stared at him. She'd heard stories about Koenma and how he liked to stay in a toddler form but she didn't actually think they were _true_. "Uh, yeah, hi, Koenma sir. May I ask why I'm here?" she asked politely, trying not to stare at the toddler or laugh.

The prince of the Spirit World laid his stamp down and regarded the cat thoughtfully. "So your name is Akina, is it?" he asked. She blinked at him, but bobbed her head in the affirmative. "Well. Thank you for coming, Akina. I only need a moment of your time and then you are free to leave. I just need to see your necklace."

"My necklace?" Her hand flew automatically to where the butterfly rested against her skin beneath her simple t-shirt. "What for?" she asked cautiously. This was one of her most valued possessions. It was not something she would give over easily.

He did not answer her question. Instead he responded, "I will give it back, I promise." A little pudgy hand was held out expectantly.

Akina still hesitated, not trusting anyone in the room. Least of all the ruler of the Spirit World. A presence behind her made her stiffen. "Don't worry," Shuichi said softly as she turned to look at him. His green eyes, so guarded moments before, were now filled with kindness as he regarded her. "I will personally make sure he returns it."

Despite the fact that he tricked her into coming there, she found herself falling into the ageless depths of his eyes once again and she knew without a doubt she could trust this boy. With a nod, she pulled the chain over her head. Shuichi took it gently from her before passing it off to the young prince.

"Thank you Kurama," Koenma said.

Akina, in the process of straightening the collar of her shirt, froze at the name. Her lips curved downward as she frowned, studying the red headed boy. Who was he? His name obviously wasn't Shuichi Minamino if the ruler of the Spirit World was calling him something else. But Kurama? What were the odds? It was clear, though, that he was nothing but an ordinary human. There was the faintest trace of demon energy but that didn't mean anything. Her father was said to be extremely powerful. The energy this boy let off was nothing. She shook her head to herself. It seemed his name was purely coincidental. After all, it wasn't as though she was the only Akina in the world. The name Kurama could be given to anyone.

"May I ask how you came to acquire this necklace?" Koenma asked, turning the object over in his hands as he studied it. She turned her full attention to him.

She fidgeted, unwilling to answer the question. "I'd rather not say."

The prince frowned at her. "Did you steal it from my vault?"

"No!" she protested loudly, caught off guard by the accusation. He raised his eyebrows at her defensiveness. "My mother gave it to me," she admitted grudgingly, knowing he wouldn't let the issue drop.

"And where did she get it from?"

"How should I know?" she snapped. This was not something she wanted to talk about. This was not where she wanted to be. She would only answer his questions to a point and then she was leaving, with or without his permission.

Koenma nodded, sensing that she was not going to answer any more questions. He bent his head over the necklace, his hands gliding over the surface as he worked.

Akina took a deep breath through her nose in irritation. She didn't even know why she was there. "Why is my necklace so important? Does this have to do something with the fact that it started glowing?"

Koenma glanced back up at her before returning back to the pendant. "Yes," he answered before launching into the story he told his detective earlier that day. Akina listened, surprised that something that harnessed so much power had been by her side for almost 200 years. "I'm simply removing the energy that Queen Kaida stored in the gems and then you may have the necklace back. It won't be of much use to us after that."

She stood stiff as a board as he worked, her arms folded. It fell into an uncomfortable silence. Shuichi stood closest to her with only a foot or so of space between them. Yusuke and Kuwabara stood some feet away. Thankfully, they didn't say anything, very much aware that she was upset with them for being tricked into coming here.

After a minute or so, however, Kurama spoke up. "Akina, may I ask you a question?" She turned to him and saw his troubled expression. Something was on his mind. She knew she should be angry with him but his eyes were still so intriguing to her that she found herself slowly nodding. His gaze fell to the floor as he debated how to phrase what he wanted to say. When he asked his question, however, he brought his eyes back up to hers. "Did you ever know a cat demon named Takara?" His voice was barely above a whisper as he asked this, but he didn't waver. He needed to know the truth, once and for all.

The name caught her off guard. Her breath caught in her throat. "Yes," she tried to say but it came out as a hoarse croak. She cleared her throat and said, defiantly, "Yes. She was my mother."

Kurama was giving her a hard look. "So that means that means that your father is Youko Kurama." It wasn't a question. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma's heads all snapped and looked at the red head, then at her. She just blinked at him, completely stunned.

Finally, after a moment or so of shocked silence, her gaze dropped to the floor and she said bitterly, "Yes. Youko Kurama is my father." Now the silence was even more profound. She looked up at everyone, a cold glare on her face. "What? Are you all going to hate me now? Shun me because I have 'bad blood?' Well, if that's what you're going to do, I'll just take my necklace back and then I'll leave."

To her utter surprise, however, Yusuke and Kuwabara burst out laughing. She turned to face them. "Your father... is... Youko?" Yusuke managed to gasp out. She cocked an eyebrow. He walked over to Kurama and clapped him on the shoulder. "Youko has a daughter? Seriously, Kurama?" he asked, brushing away tears of joy. Kurama, however, just glared down at the detective, his fingers twitching at his sides.

There it was again: Kurama. That was the second time they'd called him that. "What is your name?" Akina asked him, puzzled. "Is it Kurama or is it Shuichi?"

He hesitated as he looked down at her. Yusuke was still laughing beside him. "Shut up, Yusuke. Kuwabara," Kurama growled. Yusuke immediately stopped. The edge in his voice made it clear that this was not a laughing matter but Kuwabara continued to guffaw. Yusuke dropped his fist on the top of his friend's head and Kuwabara immediately stopped with an "ow" and a glare.

Kurama's look softened as he stared down at his daughter. "My human name is Shuichi Minamino. However," Yusuke, Kuwabara and Koenma all listened harder, wanting to hear what Kurama would say, "in Demon and Spirit World, I am known as Kurama." He did not provide more of an explanation. He couldn't tell her the truth. He didn't want her to hate him even more than she already did, even though he knew he deserved it. The guilt of knowing that he had abandoned her and her mother when she was only a child prevented him from telling her who he really was.

Kuwabara opened his overlarge mouth. "Wait a minute, aren't you going to tell her-" Realizing that Kurama didn't want her to know, Yusuke cut Kuwabara off with a hand and hissed to the large boy that he should be quiet if he knew what was good for him.

She glanced at him, confused, and turned back to Kurama, saying quietly, "So does this mean you guys don't hate me?" They all shook their heads, saying they didn't care. She just stared, completely shocked. No one had ever accepted her after learning the truth. Well, okay there were one or two people, mainly Hiei, but- _'Get... out... of... my... HEAD!'_ she yelled at herself as her brain decided to throw another memory of Hiei at her. She gave a mental yell of frustration at herself but quickly gave attention to Koenma when he spoke up.

"Here you go," he said, holding out the necklace to her. Her hand reached out and snatched it from him as quickly as she could, as though she feared he would change his mind and pull it away from her at the last possible moment. She examined it, then looked back up at him.

"It looks exactly the same," she commented, putting it back around her neck. The second it was back in place, resting against her where it should be, she felt herself relax.

"I told you I only needed the power out of it. You may leave. However, we do limit the number of demons we allow into the Living World. Now that we are aware of you, just know that we will be keeping an eye on you. So be careful," he said, picking up his rubber stamp once more. With a sigh, she turned around and started to go out the door but stopped once more when Kurama spoke up hesitantly.

"Sir, I was wondering, would it be alright if she stayed at the house for a little while? After all, she's living in a cave. Providing a place for her might keep her out of trouble," Kurama said. Her face twisted into a scowl, not wanting to seem dependant on others but sighed softly, knowing she did need the help. Her food fund was running low. Koenma opened his mouth to respond but he was cut off.

"What about the Shrimp?" Kuwabara asked. "He's a little too violent for a short guy and he wouldn't like it if a girl were staying there... even if she is a pretty girl!" He scrunched his face up and put on an imitating voice, "Baka onna!" he said, getting a laugh from Yusuke and a chuckle from Kurama. Akina glared and smacked him over the head for calling her names, then turned her attention back to the baby prince. As said before, she didn't mind her cave, but having a temporary place to stay would not be something she refused.

"He'll be fine with it, I'll make sure of that. It is a safe-house, after all. He knows that others may join him there, whether he does like it or not," Kurama said, never taking his unwavering gaze off Koenma.

Koenma studied the face of the red-head. He realized what the kitsune was doing by wanting to provide the girl with a place to stay. The fox was trying to help his daughter in any way he could. And it was possible that he was going to attempt to befriend her. The tiny prince had a feeling his life was going to become much more complicated. "That's fine," he said shortly. "Now get out of here and let me finish my paper work!" he yelled. Akina quickly thanked him and followed Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama out of the room.

The four of them returned to the Living World a few minutes later, reappearing in the copse of trees. Knowing that she would be stepping into a portal made her landing much more successful. Once away from the prince and knowing that she was alone with these three boys, she rounded on them. "That was really low," she admonished. "I probably would have come if you just asked. You didn't need to trick me."

"If I came up to you and told you I was the Spirit Detective and that Koenma wanted to speak to you, would you really have come willingly?" Yusuke asked skeptically. There was a beat of silence after his question, and Akina sighed, defeated.

"I guess not." She punched him lightly in the arm when she saw his triumphant smirk before changing the subject. "So where's this house I get to stay at?"

"Just a couple blocks away," Yusuke answered as he turned to walk out of the trees with the other two. The neko followed them, keeping stride with them easily despite being almost half their size.

"Do you all live there?" she asked as they walked.

Kurama was the one to answer this time. He shook his head. "No. We live with our families-"

"Except Shorty. He doesn't have a family. It almost makes me feel sorry for him. Almost." Kuwabara interrupted. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him questioningly but turned her attention back to Kurama once he started talking again.

"As I was saying, we have our own homes. Our other teammate is here on probation. He is not allowed to leave the city or return to Demon World. Koenma provides this house as a place for him to live while he is here. Other demons come and go as well occasionally, as it is a safe-house within in the city. However, it is usually only our teammate there and the majority of the house remains empty. He is quiet, and won't bother you."

Akina nodded in understanding. "So am I ever going to see you three again?" she asked as they crossed the street. The light around them was fading and the temperature was beginning to drop. Streetlights began to flicker on and the sound of mothers calling in their children could be heard.

"Of course!" Yusuke said, throwing his arm around her. He felt her stiffen in surprise and laughed. With his other hand, he rubbed his knuckles against the top of her head, giving her a noogie. She made a face. "We stop by all the time. Sometimes we even stay the night if we feel the need to take a break from over possessive girlfriends, alcoholic mothers, or brutal sisters!"

"And to see the love of my life! She stays there when she comes to visit…" Kuwabara said. His eyes glazed over as he thought.

Yusuke snorted. "Love of your life… She'd probably _love _to have you _out _of her life."

"Urameshi! That's not true! We're meant to be together forever!" Kuwabara shouted, turning to face his friend.

Akina shrugged out from beneath Yusuke's arm as he and Kuwabara began to argue, feeling uncomfortable. After being alone for so long, she wasn't used to all the attention she was getting. And she was still adjusting to being around them. Quietly, she slipped up to walk next to Kurama who seemed to be lost in thought, hands shoved in his pockets. He broke out of his trance when he felt her beside him and smiled down at her. Unable to help herself, she smiled back. Something about the red-head made her feel… cared for. Safe. Not alone. Protected. Things that she hadn't felt in 120 years.

She heaved a sigh at that, knowing that she could not fight off the thoughts of her old friend anymore. A pain ripped through her chest, tearing her apart and almost taking her breath away, but she welcomed it. For so long she had pushed the memories away, desperately trying to become numb and to forget her friend. But as she thought about it, she realized she didn't _want_ to forget him. He had made her who she was. He was the best friend she'd ever had. He was the best gift life had ever given her. Even now, 120 years later, it still felt as though half of her was missing and she knew that she would never feel whole again.

As they turned up the sidewalk toward the house, she couldn't help but think, _'Oh, Hiei. If only I could see you again…"_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Thanks for reading! And special thanks to Just Wait And See for dutifully reviewing! Please review! They keep me going. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning:** Mild Language

Chapter 7

Kurama pushed the front door of the house open and walked inside, holding it open for Akina as she walked through. Yusuke and Kuwabara ambled in behind her and immediately dove for the TV in the front room, arguing over which video game they were going to play. She looked around, taking in her surroundings.

The house wasn't enormous, but it wasn't small either. The front room was large enough to fit a sofa, a love seat, a coffee table, and a chair. A television was mounted on the wall, attached to a bunch of electronics that she didn't really care for. From where she stood by the front door, she could see that the room next to the stairs was the kitchen. It was large with lots of counter space and the end of a table could be seen through the doorway.

"Where do I sleep?" she asked, turning to face Kurama. He was staring at her again. He seemed to be studying her. It was weird how he appeared unable to keep his eyes off her for even a few minutes, like he couldn't get enough of her. It wasn't like how normal humans would openly stare and fantasize, minds in the gutter. Kurama's eyes were kind. The way he stared made her feel like he was trying to take as much of her in as possible, almost how a parent would stare in awe over their newborn child. He looked as though he was pulled out of a trance as she spoke to him.

His cheeks were tinged slightly red at being caught. "I'll show you to your room," he said quickly. He moved past her and began toward the stairs. She followed hastily. At the top of the stairs was a hallway, showing four doors. Kurama made his way past two of them. He pointed to the one on the right, which was open and showed a small bed and a dresser. "That is one of the guest rooms. No one is there currently." He pointed to the closed door on the left. "That is our teammate's room. I would suggest you stay out of there." Akina nodded, and he opened the door to the last room at the end of the hall. Inside it wasn't very big. Just enough for a queen-sized bed, the closet, a dresser below the window, and the doorway for the small bathroom that was attached. The quilt on the bed and the curtains above the window matched, and were very unflattering. The room had a hotel-room feeling to it with and it felt impersonal.

"I know it's not much," Kurama said as the two of them looked inside. "This is the master bedroom so you do at least have your own bathroom. Our teammate isn't here very often so we save this room for other guests, such as the ice apparition that stays here occasionally." Akina nodded again. It definitely wasn't big, but it was more than she was used to.

"Thank you," she said quietly, not looking at him. She didn't know how to express the gratitude she felt adequately enough. To know that someone was taking care of her was a feeling she had not felt in a long, long time.

She felt his eyes on her. "You're welcome," he said softly. When she finally did look up at him, she was taken aback by the tenderness in his eyes. He noticed this and cleared his throat, straightening up. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to let us know."

Before either of them could say anything else, the doorbell rang. "Are you expecting someone?" Akina asked.

"No. But I believe I know who it is. You may as well come meet them. You're going to run into them eventually," he replied, looking toward the end of the hall.

"Meet who?" she asked.

"Hello! We're here!" a bright, cheery voice sang from the bottom of the stairs.

"Botan, the Grim Reaper, and Keiko, Yusuke's girlfriend," Kurama replied making his way back to the stairs. He turned when he realized the girl wasn't following him. She was staring at the door belonging to their teammate, a small frown of confusion on her face. "I'll meet you downstairs," he said, knowing from the way she stood that she wanted to be alone.

Her gaze broke away from the door and she gave him a distracted smile. She turned to stare back at the door. There was something familiar about the smell coming from the room, but being in her human form was preventing her from picking up on it. Maybe if she opened the door, she could get a better whiff. Just as she was about to reach the doorknob and turn it, a surprised voice broke through her concentration.

"Oh, hello!" Akina jumped and whirled toward the stairs. A young girl with short brown hair and dark brown eyes was staring at her. She was wearing high waisted pants with a light pink blouse. She was halfway into the bathroom—the fourth door on this floor, right next to the stairs—as if she had been entering. "I didn't know there was anyone staying here today," Keiko asked. Her smile was kind.

The cat threw one last glance at the door before walking away. She would investigate later. "I'm Akina. Koenma is letting me stay here for a while."

"I'm Keiko! It's nice to meet you." The girl was polite and Akina smiled back at her.

"Hello, there!" came another voice, the same one that announced the arrival. Akina turned to see another girl with blue hair and pink eyes. "You must be Akina! Koenma's told me all about you! I'm Botan." She reached out and took the cat's hand, shaking it firmly before letting it drop.

"It's nice to meet you too."

Keiko was still smiling at her. "I've come to pick up Yusuke for our date, so we'll be out of your hair soon." Her voice was apologetic, as if she had committed some social _faux pas_ by using the bathroom of a demon safe house which was currently occupied by a cat demon.

"And I just came to check up on you and see if you need anything. Koenma said you'd be staying here for a while and it's my job to make sure you're all taken care of!" Botan's voice was bright, friendly, and very loud.

Akina felt like she was in another world. After five years of being in the Living World surrounded only by humans, it was weird to have conversations about the Lord Koenma, Ice Apparitions, and Grim Reapers. Her head was whirling and she wanted to lie down. Instead, she smiled at the two girls. "I'm fine. Thank you though."

Botan stuck her arm through the cat's and began to guide her downstairs. Keiko waved after them before disappearing into the restroom. "You be sure to let me know if you need anything, okay, dear? It's my job to make sure you're all taken care of and to make sure that grumpy fire demon doesn't cause you any trouble."

Akina furrowed her brow as they reached the bottom step. "Grumpy fire demon? Who's th—"

"KEIKO! LET'S GO!" Yusuke shouted, interrupting her. He was standing by the door, next to Kurama and Kuwabara. His arms were folded and he looked extremely impatient. She frowned slightly.

"Are you guys leaving?" she asked, confused. They had just gotten there.

"I have some school work I must tend to and appearances to keep up at home. I will most like return shortly, however," Kurama said. His hands were in his pockets. In the brief moments she had been upstairs alone with Keiko and Botan, Kurama's whole demeanor had changed. He seemed stiff, almost antsy, as though he wanted to leave the house as soon as he could. It was obvious he was trying to act normal, but he wasn't doing a terribly good job of it.

"Sis gets mad if I get home too late," Kuwabara grumbled.

"Keiko and I are going on a date. That is, we would go on a date if she'd HURRY UP!" Yusuke shouted the last two words pointedly in the direction of the stairs.

"And I have duties in the Spirit World," Botan added. "Being the Grim Reaper can be quite tiresome."

Akina nodded in understanding. They had lives they had to return to, just like she still had her own search to continue. If anything, living in the city—albeit on the edge of it—made her work of easier. She would have to spend a lot less time traveling back and forth between her cave and town.

The stairs creaked slightly as Keiko made her way back down. "There's no need to yell, Yusuke," she chided.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go," he replied, wrenching the door open and stepping into the fading light. The others smiled at her, giving their own farewells, before disappearing. The front door closed behind them with a click, leaving her alone once more.

* * *

><p>Kurama stood at the top of a building, staring at the streets below him, hands in his pockets. The sounds of cars passing and humans chattering wafted up from below. Traffic lights changed colors and cars honked. The streetlights illuminated everything with a soft glow. Being so far up, he wasn't able to distinguish any specific sounds or faces of the people, but it was usually intriguing to watch them anyway. Usually.<p>

Thoughts poured through the fox's mind though his face remained stoic. Guilt was his primary feeling at the moment. Guilt for leaving his daughter. Guilt for not letting her find him 160 years ago. Guilt for running from her. And then there was the joy. Joy that she was alive. Joy that he was finally able to meet her. Joy that he was getting a second change. The two emotions were conflicting for him and he tried to sort it out.

He felt bad for leaving her all alone in that house. So desperately he wanted to return, to be with her, to watch her, to get to know her. But he knew that when he saw her again, he would be reminded of his Takara. He would see what he had done to the girl, leaving her alone for so long. He would be reminded of everything he had done wrong. All these emotions had overwhelmed him earlier and he'd had to leave the house to be alone to think, to get away from the reminder. So he'd made his excuses about schoolwork before running away. Running. Running. Always running.

Kurama didn't move as a demon energy made its way toward him, jumping over rooftops without a sound. "Hello, Hiei," he said quietly as the fire demon landed lightly next to him.

"Hn," was the only reply he got. The two of them stood silently side by side, staring down to the people below. It wasn't long, though, before Hiei spoke up. "What's wrong with you, fox? I can practically feel the remorse rolling off you."

There was no response to the question. Instead, the fox asked his own, never taking his eyes off the ground below them. "In your travels through Demon World, did you ever meet a cat demon named Akina?"

Kurama didn't notice when Hiei flinched violently, almost as if he had been hit by an electric shock, before relaxing slightly. Hiei had always known this question would come up eventually and was surprised it hadn't before this. Now that it had, he wasn't sure how to answer it. Akina was something he didn't like to think about. Whenever he let his guard down and his old friend would make her way through his defenses, intruding on his mind, the pain would be unbearable. Sometimes it felt like a hole had been punched straight through his chest. Over the years, he'd learned how to control it, but it didn't mean he didn't hurt still.

To say yes he had known her would provoke many questions. Questions that he didn't want to answer. It would force him to think of her and provide the old fox with details he had tried in vain to forget. But to say no would be like denying her existence and saying that she meant so little to him that he would not even acknowledge their time together, which was a complete and utter lie. She was his world. She was everything to him, even if he wasn't everything to her.

But to say yes…

"No," he lied, his voice quiet. He saw Kurama slump slightly, defeated, and he felt a wave of sympathy for his friend. He wasn't sure what brought this question about finally, but he knew that the girl was obviously on his mind. Taking a deep breath, he added quietly, "But I've heard of her. She was apparently quite amazing. You should be proud."

Kurama didn't respond for a moment or ask how Hiei knew his relation to the cat demon in question. Hiei could feel the waves of torment and anguish rolling off him. It was almost debilitating. He knew that the fox was going to ask more questions or bring up touchy subjects that he didn't want to deal with. Hiei began to turn to leave before this could happen but stopped when Kurama spoke up in a voice that even Hiei could barely hear. "I made a mistake."

Hiei didn't move, frozen to the spot. His mind flashed back to that day when his world had crumbled apart. Very clearly he could see his koneko walking away from him, out of his life forever. And very clearly, he could remember making the decision not to follow her. His mistake. The mistake that tortured him every damn day.

"Everyone makes mistakes, fox," he said gruffly. He disappeared then before Kurama could inadvertently bring up anymore of his own personal hell.

Kurama sighed as his friend disappeared, knowing he shouldn't have really expected much more than that. He remained on the edge of the building for a few more minutes before he, too, disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p>Akina let the last of her stuff fall to the floor of her room with a small thump. It had taken her three trips to gather her clothes and supplies from her cave but it was all here now. Every item that she owned was in this room, scattered on the floor. The majority of it was blankets—she hated the cold—but there were some other odds and ends, such as clothes and hygienic supplies.<p>

With a small satisfied smile, she finally let out her cat ears and tail. A small shudder of relief flooded through her at feeling less confined. She felt infinitely better but she glanced longingly at the shower. It had been quite some time since she had bathed in something other than a cold lake. A grin broke out onto her face as she made her way into the bathroom.

Half an hour and two bars of soap later, she slipped out of the bathroom feeling truly clean for the first time in a very long time. Her stomach growled, though, and she realized it had been quite some time since she had eaten. It was a really good feeling to know that she could go down a flight of stairs and find something in the kitchen. Rummaging through the trunk full of her clothes, she pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

As she was walking down the hall toward the stairs, her cat ears twitched as they heard the door open downstairs. Yusuke's voice floated up through the house, breaking the silence that had filled it. "Hello? Anybody home?"

She smiled as she reached the bottom of the steps and saw Keiko sitting on the couch. Yusuke was coming back from the kitchen. Half of a donut was in his hand. He stared at her as she made her way toward him. His eyes flicked up to her ears, then down to her long silver tail. "I'd hide that around Kuwabara if I were you," he noted, pointing at her tail. His voice was thick and muffled as he spoke through a mouthful of half-chewed food.

"Yusuke, don't talk with your mouth full!" Keiko reprimanded. Yusuke rolled his eyes before plopping down next to her. His arm snaked around her shoulders and he pulled her against him. She blushed slightly. Akina hid a grin.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you were on a date," she said, standing before them.

Keiko glared as her boyfriend opened to respond, his mouth still full. He closed it and she spoke instead. "We went to dinner and went shopping. Yusuke was taking me home but we thought we'd stop by here first and say hello." The human girl smiled at the cat.

Akina resisted the urge to frown back at her. She barely even knew this girl and already she was coming by to say hello? Instead, she answered, "That's nice of you. I was just on my way to the kitchen to see if there is any food…" She trailed off as she noticed Yusuke's guilty expression. He looked down at the remaining bite of donut, then held it out to her.

She sighed as Keiko scolded Yusuke for taking the last bit of food. Oh well, it wasn't a big deal. She'd been days without food before. Tomorrow she would run into town and grab a few items. "I'm just going to go get a drink of water, then," she said, excusing herself. The couple didn't hear her as they argued.

In the kitchen, Akina stopped and glanced around, trying to decide where the cups might be. It really was a nice kitchen. Dark, wooden cabinets lined the walls and formed the base of the counter. From the looks of it, the countertop itself looked to be some kind of rock. Granite, maybe. It had been smoothed and polished to give it a glossy look. The appliances were simple but were made of stainless steel. It seemed as though Koenma went out of his way to make the demon safe-house comfortable.

After opening a few cupboards, she finally found the cups next to the refrigerator. The fridge had a water dispenser and she used it to fill her glass. The water was cold and clean, though it had a funny taste. It didn't taste quite… natural. She shrugged, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and made her way back into the front room.

As she stepped through the doorway, the front door directly in front of her opened. She glanced up, surprised that anyone else would have come to visit, but stopped dead in her tracks. A small gasp escaped her and the glass in her hand fell to the floor. It shattered and the water splashed over her bare feet.

She didn't even notice.

The person in front of her looked up at the sound and he, too, froze. His hand was still on the doorknob and someone was trying to come in behind him but couldn't make their way past the new obstacle.

Akina and Hiei stared at each other, each blinking rapidly as if the other was an illusion, some figment of the imagination created by their subconscious to fill the empty void each had felt. It was clear to both of them, however, that this was no dream.

Akina took in the subtle differences that had changed since the last time she had seen him. He seemed older. Not by much. If he were a human, she would say he'd aged about two years in looks. His arms were covered in white bandages, something that had not been there before and a detached part of her mind wondered why. But the biggest difference was his eyes. While they had been so open around her when she had known him, they were now hard. Cruel. Closed off.

Hiei, on the other hand, noted that she, too, looked older. He was amazed that he could not feel her demon energy at all. Her eyes were tired and wary, as if they had seen many unspeakable things. When he had known her, she always had an air of confidence around her and she knew what she wanted. Now, he could tell by first glance that she was slouched slightly, trying to be invisible.

The silence that filled the air between them felt like centuries when in reality it was only a couple of seconds. Hiei was the first one to break out of his trance and speak. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he demanded. His voice was harsh and had an edge to it.

"Hiei…" she breathed. Her mind was in shambles. All forms of coherent thought left her mind and she could only gape at him. He was the last person she ever expected to see here.

"What are you doing here?" he snarled again. He took his hand off the doorknob and took a small step forward. The person behind him slipped inside. Akina couldn't take her eyes off her friend long enough to see who it was. Every person in the room, though, stayed silent, feeling the tension building.

She blinked at him. "I… Your team found me. I was in a cave outside the city. They needed my necklace. Koenma said I could stay here."

His eyes flickered to the chain around her neck before he looked back up. He glared at her, his look so full of hate that she took a small step back. His breathing was speeding up as his anger escalated. "What are you doing in Living World?" he said through gritted teeth.

"I followed a tip. I heard Youko is here," she said quietly. The words came out of her unbidden. She didn't know what she was saying. The only thing she was aware of was the fire demon's presence. That after 120 years of pure agony in his absence, he was standing in front of her once more.

His body was rigid. He looked as though the smallest touch would snap him in half. "Leave," he growled.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Get out of my house." His voice was so low it was barely audible. The tone was deadly and she felt a small shiver of fear run up her spine. She'd seen the look he was giving her. It was the look he had when he found something despicable. Something he hated. Something he wanted to kill.

"Hiei…" Akina repeated, taking a small step forward.

She heard, rather than saw or felt, what happened next. The sound of metal rang throughout the room and suddenly she was slammed against the wall behind her. There was a shout of surprise from the bystanders and they began to call his name but he ignored them. She stood absolutely still, feeling the cold steel blade of his katana pressed hard against her neck. A trickle of blood ran down her throat and soaked into her shirt.

Crimson eyes met golden ones and they stared at each other. There was movement around them and someone was moving toward them. Without breaking eye contact from Hiei, Akina gently lifted her hand a fraction of an inch in a gesture that clearly said stop. Whoever it was did not move any farther.

The two friends did not break eye contact and neither of them spoke. Each gauged the other, trying to see what they were thinking. Akina saw his staggering pain. Hiei saw her crippling loneliness. Both tried to hide how much they were hurting but both failed.

"You left me," Hiei said, so quietly that if not for her cat ears, she would not have heard him.

Even though he was pressed up against her, Akina had to know he was real. Conscious of the sword at her neck, she slowly raised an arm. As soft as possible, she reached forward and touched his cheek with her fingertips. He twitched and jerked away as though he had been burned. Her hand dropped back to her side. "And I've regretted it every day of my life." Her voice was equally low as she spoke the words that had been buried deep within her. They continued to stare at each other, bodies pressed together, the cold metal on her skin and the wall behind her. Neither could break the connection that held their gazes. It felt as though time had slowed around them and despite the fact that Hiei hated her so completely and was threatening her life, she realized that for the first time in over a century, she felt whole again.

"Hiei," a voice said from behind him, laying a gentle hand on the fire demon's shoulder. Akina broke the staring contest first and her eyes flicked up to see Kurama. "Don't."

At the sound of the fox's voice, Hiei glanced up at his red-headed friend. He stared at him for a minute, then returned his gaze back to Akina, then glanced at Kurama again. Understanding filled his eyes and Akina felt as though she had missed something important. Hiei's eyes landed on her once more. "I see now," he said quietly, confusing her even more. He shrugged Kurama's hand off and stepped away from the neko. She did not move and stayed pressed against the wall. The fire demon sheathed his sword. His eyes were distant now and before she could make a move to say anything else to him, he disappeared. They heard his door click shut and lock upstairs.

Keiko was the first one to stir. She and Yusuke were both standing now, having jumped up from the couch sometime during the encounter. "Akina, your neck! I'll go get you something!" She quickly rushed into the kitchen.

Akina stared straight ahead, completely dazed. All the energy left her in a rush and she realized she needed to sit. She slid down the wall. She was dimly aware that her hands were shaking and her cat ears were drooped low on her head.

Kurama and Yusuke were in front of her in an instant. "What the hell was that?" Yusuke asked, looking down at her.

"Are you okay, Akina?" Kurama's voice was coated with worry. His hands were reached out and were inspecting the cut on her throat. It wasn't deep and compared to the pain in her chest, it didn't hurt at all. She could at least count on the cut being healed by morning.

Keiko came back into the room and dropped down next to her. She had some wet paper towels in her hand and she pressed them gingerly against the cat's cut.

Akina didn't answer either of the boys' questions. Her mind was somewhere else. She was back in a clearing in the fading light, walking away from the only person that had truly cared about her. Walking away from the one person she had ever really loved. Making the biggest mistake of her life.

"I made a mistake," she whispered as she stared ahead.

Kurama looked down at the orange-haired girl and could see the torment in the golden eyes that she had inherited from him. He tentatively reached down and grabbed her hand in his. Her eyes flickered up to him as he said softly, "Everyone makes mistakes."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Akina stared unblinking at the ceiling in her room. Not a hair moved nor a muscle twitched. Her arms were behind her head and her feet were crossed at the ankles. Aside from the soft rising and falling of her chest as she breathed, one would think she had died with her eyes wide open.

She had been in that position the whole night. After the incident with Hiei downstairs, she had somehow managed to clamber her way to her room, ignoring the confused and worried looks of her new friends. Try as she might, sleep had evaded her. Instead, she was wide awake, left to ponder the encounter with her old friend. It was even more impossible knowing that he was only one room over. The term 'so close and yet so far' had never meant as much to her as it did that moment.

Over and over she replayed the scene in her mind. His unbridled anger toward her was shocking and she couldn't get it out of her head. And yet, despite that, she could clearly see the pain that he tried to hide as they'd stared at each other. Over a century may have passed, but she still knew him better than she knew anyone else; she knew he was hurting.

"_You left me."_

His words came to her unbidden and felt like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of her momentarily. Breaths came in gasps and her lungs struggled to work properly. Her eyes squeezed shut, the first movement in over 16 hours.

"_You left me."_

The neko rolled over onto her side, curling up into a ball and wrapping her arms around her sides. It felt as though she physically had to hold herself together lest she fall apart at the seams. Her body was not big enough to contain the ache and the hurt inside of her. For so long she had fought with this. After 120 years, she thought she had moved on or come to accept the pain. It turned out she had been lying to herself. This was something she was unprepared for.

"_You left me."_

The words repeated through her head as though her brain was an MP3 player stuck on repeat. She was unable to stop them, to banish them from her mind and allow her some peace. Her breathing continued to escalate, coming in gasps as the pain of what he said, of what she had done, ate away at her. The lack of oxygen was beginning to make her light headed. Oh, how she wished she could change what she had done. How she wished she could change the past.

"Hiei…" she whispered to herself as the burning tears began to leak out of her eyes. "Oh, Hiei…"

* * *

><p>Several more hours passed before Akina was able to drag herself out of bed, her stomach growling ferociously. For a moment, she debated going downstairs in nothing more than the small white tank top and the tiny pair of shorts she wore for pajamas. But then she remembered that she was not the only one in the house and boys came by frequently. For decency's sake, it was probably best to cover up.<p>

After dressing in a simple pair of pants and a plain t-shirt, she smoothed her orange hair in an attempt to bring it to some semblance of order. Carefully, quietly, she opened the door to her room and peeked out. Her silver ears twitched, trying to pick up on sounds from downstairs. Hearing nothing, she opened the door wider and slipped out. She tiptoed past the fire-demon's door, ears perked up and alert. Pausing, she listened hard for noises behind the door. A frown came to her when she heard only overwhelming silence. Apparently, she was the only one here. She ignored the throb of pain that shot through her at knowing Hiei was not there but her body relaxed slightly and she made her way to the front room, not caring how quiet she was anymore.

The sunlight was streaming through the window in the front room, but it was dim and fading. Golden tendrils of light caressed the surfaces of the room with a soft glow. The clock on the wall indicated that it was 5:00 and night was imminent. It wasn't until she was standing in the kitchen, feeling the cold of the tile floor on her feet, that she remembered there was no food in this house.

She rubbed her forehead in frustration. There was not an ounce of motivation in her body to walk all the way to the nearest grocery store to buy food. It appeared she would be going hungry again. Shoulders slumped in defeat she walked back to the front room and fell backward onto the large sofa throwing her one arm over her eyes while the other hung off the edge of the couch.

Yesterday she had woken up in a cave. On her own, living amongst humans. There was nothing more important to her at that time than doing as her mother had asked all those years ago: finding her father. It was what kept her going each day and her purpose for living. And now, suddenly, she was under a roof. She had a room with indoor plumbing—something that had fascinated her when she originally came to this world—and a bed with a mattress. There was a group of people who knew her for what she was and didn't hate her. It was amazing how things could change so quickly.

And if things were so much better, why did she feel so much worse?

The front door opened and she jolted upright, surprised. She scrambled off the couch, afraid that it might be Hiei but relaxed when a head of blue hair came into view. "Oh, Botan. It's you," she said in relief. There was no way she could face Hiei so soon.

The grin on the Grim Reaper's face stretched from ear to ear. "Hello, Akina!"

Another person, Keiko, walked in behind her. Her brown eyes landed on the cat and she smiled, though concern was clearly etched on her face. "Oh, Akina. How are you doing? How's your neck?"

Akina's hand fluttered up to the cut on her throat. It was not quite healed all the way, but it didn't hurt so much. She had completely forgotten about it. The pain in her chest throbbed slightly as she remembered, once again, how it had happened but the cut itself was pain free. "It's fine. What are you two doing here? Where's Yusuke and the others?"

"Oh, who knows. Those boys are all over the place. We're supposed to meet here so they should be back any minute. We're here early to make sure Yukina is settled in while she visits for a few days and to see if you needed anything!" Botan's voice was light and bubbly as she rambled on.

'_Yukina?'_ the cat thought. _'Is it possible that—?'_ Her train of thought broke off as Botan gestured in someone else, holding the door open for her.

The ice maiden thanked Botan as the door shut behind her. Akina stared at her. The girl's sea-foam green hair was pulled back with a red ribbon, leaving a few strands to frame her young face. The kimono she wore was almost the same color as her hair, but had more blue to it, rather than green. It was wrapped with a navy blue obi. And her eyes. Familiar red eyes, eyes the color of a sparkling deep ruby that she would know anywhere, stared back at her, filled with kindness and innocence. Yukina tilted her head to the side as she saw that she was being watched.

"Hello," she said sweetly with a voice that sounded as smooth as honey. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled.

Akina blinked once more, surprised. "Yukina!" she shouted and launched herself at the ice maiden. Laughing, she threw her arms around the girl, who staggered back, not expecting the sudden weight. Yukina stood completely still, shock evident on her face. "Yukina, it's been so long!"

Yukina didn't move but her look of surprise dissolved, becoming one of confusion. "I'm sorry, miss, but do I know you?" she asked, ever so polite.

Akina pulled away from the girl, withdrawing from her hug. The smile stayed on her face as she said, "You don't remember me." It wasn't an accusation, merely a statement of fact. It had been so long, she wasn't surprised.

The red eyes studied her, roaming her features in an attempt to recall something. Her head tilted to the side again and it was clear she almost remembered. Different memories came to her but were dismissed as she tried to place the familiar orange hair and silver ears.

Before Akina could say anything to remind her, the front door slammed open again. It swung around and crashed into the wall of the house with a loud bang. Yusuke strolled in, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. "Honey, I'm home!" he called out sarcastically as he trudged into the room. Oddly enough, he was followed by none other than Hiei and Kurama.

None of the girls paid attention to the boys, wrapped up as they were in the reunion between friends. The door was closing behind the returning former Spirit Detective when the Ice Maiden's eyes finally lit up in recognition. "Akina!" she said, laughing. She threw her arms around the girl in another hug.

Hiei, who was already on the other side of the room and beginning to ascend the stairs, froze. Akina, staring over his sister's shoulder, watched as he slowly swiveled around to look at her. Blood red eyes locked onto her, his look murderous and deadly. She was unable to throw him her own questioning look before Yukina pulled away. "It's great to see you, Akina-san!"

Akina tore her eyes away from Hiei and she forced a smile at her old friend. It was quickly replaced with a genuine one, however, as she saw the sincerity and the kindness the Ice Maiden offered. "It's good to see you too. How are you doing? Why are you in Living World?"

"I'm very well, thank you!" She beamed. "I heard a rumor that my brother was here so I came to search for him."

The cat hesitated, unsure of what to say. She glanced at Hiei again and saw the warning in his eyes. It seemed like more of a threat. "Have you found him yet?" Her voice faltered. When she had known Hiei, he'd wanted to find his sister more than anything. It was the primary reason they had left the thieves. And find her they did, shortly after he received his Jagan. He'd left on his own at one point for about a week to visit the Koorime. Upon his return, he'd confessed that he'd only watched her, unable to reveal himself to her.

"_She's too innocent,"_ he'd said. _"Imagine what she would say when she found out she had a murderer and a thief for a brother."_

His determination for her to never find out was something that she knew he would never change his mind on. It appeared, however, that Yukina had made her way to the Human World, searching in vain for something that was right in front of her. The overwhelming urge to tell her the truth, to spill the beans, surged through her. It was so unfair of Hiei to do this to his sister. Akina knew that if she had found her father, she would want to know the truth, no matter what. Especially if he was hiding in plain sight.

Hiei was still watching her, eyes hard. His arms were folded in front of his chest and one foot rested on the bottom step. When she glanced at him once more, it was as if he could see the thoughts running through her mind and her desire to tell the Ice Maiden the secret that was not hers to tell. His top lip lifted slightly in a silent growl. With his teeth bared and the glare he was giving her, he truly looked as though he would kill her without a second thought. He even looked as though he might enjoy it.

"No," Yukina answered, her voice coming out in a defeated sigh. Her small hands were clasped lightly before her. "I don't think I will ever find him."

In spite of the look she was receiving—she could practically feel the daggers he was shooting at her with his eyes—she glared at him when Yukina answered. She sounded so sad and Akina knew there was no way this sweet girl would ever reject her brother. In her mind, Hiei was being downright selfish.

The fire demon did not adjust his glare. Yusuke, standing slightly behind the cat, glanced back and forth between the two of them, taking note of the dirty looks. He frowned slightly at this, wondering what was happening. No one had had the chance to figure out what there was between Hiei and Akina. Kurama stood next to the ex-detective, hands shoved in his pockets, face impassive.

Yukina hesitated as well before asking, "What about you? Why are you here? Have you found your father?" She resisted the impulse to glance at the red head, knowing that it would not go unnoticed.

The smile on Akina's face was small and sad. "Same reason. Looking for Youko. I, too, heard a rumor that he was here. I don't know how true it is, though. I think whoever told me that was lying." There was a shift in the room as Keiko, Botan, Yukina, and Yusuke all exchanged nervous glances and shot looks at the fox, but no one said anything. Not a muscle in Kurama's body twitched at this exchange and he continued to watch the two girls as though he was not the topic of the conversation.

"You'll find him eventually!" The bubbly reply from the ice apparition, so optimistic and full of hope from someone in the same position as herself, made her feel slightly better and she smiled. She glanced once more at Hiei and was surprised to see that his look had softened. However, he noticed her staring and before she could say anything else, his entire demeanor darkened before he disappeared, his bedroom door slamming upstairs.

"So how do you two know each other?" Botan asked, bursting forward. An anxious look was on her face as though she was trying to change the topic away from something dangerous.

The two friends exchanged glances as they remembered the circumstances leading up to their chance meeting 100 years ago. This meeting was happy and light. It shouldn't be spoiled with talk of less pleasant times. Akina turned back to the Grim Reaper, a small smile on her face. "That's a story for another day."

* * *

><p>"So Akina." The cat looked up at the sound of her name coming from the red head. "I think we would all like to know what happened last night with Hiei."<p>

It was late in the evening now, and at this point, the ex-spirit detective, his girlfriend, Kurama, Kuwabara and Yukina were sitting in the front room of the house. It appeared that they spent more time in the house than Kurama originally let on. Despite the fact that all the humans were twenty-years-old, they all still lived at home. The demon safe-house was a place for them to be on their own without having to pay for their own apartments while attending their respective universities. Yusuke was the only human not attending school.

The group of friends had sat down around the coffee table. A deck of cards lay on top, ready to be opened for the game they had originally wanted to play. But the conversation had drifted until the cards had been forgotten and soon, everyone was laughing at the stories each of them told. The fox's question had come out of the blue, surprising everyone into a shocked silence but it was quickly replaced with curiosity as everyone turned to look at her.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. This wasn't something she wanted to talk about. Especially with the fire demon upstairs. Hiding away in his room. Probably able to hear every damn word. She scratched her silver cat ear uneasily, trying to sink as far into the couch as she could. "Well…"

Kurama sat in the brown plush chair, legs crossed. His elbows rested on the arm rests and his fingers were steepled in front of him as he regarded her thoughtfully through dark green eyes. Even though his voice was polite, it was clear that this was not a request; it was a command. She was beginning to learn that he kept his expression emotionless at all times. Did he not trust her or was it merely curiosity that brought this question about? After all, they did not know her and their teammate had attacked her. He must have a reason for doing so. The fox's green eyes, normally so friendly to her, were closed off and gave nothing away.

A low sigh escaped from her. "Okay," she consented grudgingly. Golden eyes slipped closed, drawing up the awful memories she had tried so hard to escape. It wasn't hard; the dreams she has been having were still fresh in her memory. "When I was fifteen…" she started.

It didn't take long for her to recount the details of her mother burning to death. She stumbled over the words in a few places, and she glanced around the room to gauge everyone's reaction. Most were sympathetic, some remorseful. But she would have sworn on her life that pain flashed through Kurama for the briefest moment before he covered it up, falling back into his inexpressive state. Meeting Hiei in the forest and joining the thieves. Her words came out stronger here, uninhibited because it had been such a happy time for her. Yusuke and Kuwabara grinned here, enjoying her descriptions of the fights she had with the thieves. She then explained how they had journeyed off so Hiei could get his jagan and how they had wandered all over Demon World for over 40 years to find her father.

"And then, 120 years ago, I…" she hesitated at this point. There was no way she was going to confess the real reason she left. Hiei could probably hear her and though she was comfortable around these people, she still didn't know them very well. "I decided to… to go my own way. I l-left him behind and took off on my own." Her voice was tiny, barely audible, as the half-truths slipped from between her lips, curving gracefully into an almost-lie.

"Why'd you leave, if you were such good friends?" Keiko asked from her seat beside Yusuke on the love seat. She was leaning into him, her hand resting lightly on his knee. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders. They looked so comfortable together, for all that they argued like an old married couple. "That doesn't make any sense."

"I just needed to be on my own." The words were a whisper, full of an agonizing pain that she could not hide.

Throughout her story, Kurama had not moved an inch. Nothing gave away what he thought behind his neutral mask. His eyes were calculating, taking in every word. None of these stories were new to him. Hearing them from her directly, rather than through Kagami, however, was a new experience. The fondness in her voice as she spoke of her old friend told him the truth and he knew why she had left. The guilt was there for him. It had sprung up like a crouching tiger. He didn't push it away or fight it off. Instead, he let it flow through him, wrapping tightly around him like a sweet cocoon of pain and misery.

"You'd better not get too attached."

Akina jumped, then cringed. The words, rather than coming from anyone in the room, had come from behind her. The deep voice, the one she would know even if she had lost her hearing, was bitter and harsh. It snapped through the air like a whip, striking her hard enough to make her gasp slightly. "She'll only leave you, too."

Her hands clenched into fists in her lap and she squeezed her eyes shut. The couch suddenly felt too small and she felt too exposed. She pushed back into it, desperately trying to disappear and be anywhere other than in this room.

The sound of Hiei's footsteps behind her made their way to the front door as it opened and shut with a slam. No one said anything.

"And that's why he's mad," she choked out, still burrowing into the couch cushions. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and burying her face into them. "I don't think he ever expected to see me here. I… hurt him… He was unprepared and attacked me."

The person sitting next to her, Yukina, tentatively wrapped a delicate arm around her shoulders. The gesture was meant to be one full of comfort and friendship. It only made her realize how utterly alone she was. The room suddenly felt small and suffocating. The sound of the silence after her speech was deafening. Panic clawed its way into her chest like a living thing, burying itself deep and hunkering down for a long stay. She had to get out of the house and away from these people she had known for only a day.

Before anyone could speak and attempt to reassure her, she jumped up. The movement was quick and no one expected her agile movements. "I'm going for a walk," she said in clipped tones. The words were forced.

"Akina, wait!"

She didn't know who called her and she didn't stop to find out. In the time of a human heartbeat, she had grabbed her coat that was hanging by the front door and was gone into the night.

* * *

><p>"Tell me what you know."<p>

The lower C-class demon backed up slowly, inching away from the menace in front of him. He was short, maybe about 3 feet tall. Pointed teeth poked out from between his black lips and his nose came to a point. Squinty eyes stared up at her in fear. His skin was a dark purplish-black that seemed to suck in the light and create a void in space. It was this quality that allowed him to become a very successful spy, despite his lower class, as he could easily slip from shadow to shadow without detection.

"I don't know nothin'! Get away from me or else!" The warning was ruined when his voice squeaked in terror. He continued backing up, trying to put as much distance as he could between them. The alley they were in was dark and provided a private space for them to conduct business. The streets on either end were empty anyway, as this was a less frequented part of town.

No one was there to save him.

"I'm in a really bad mood. Don't piss me off even more than I already am." Her voice was soft and low but the threat was clear. Eyes the color of liquid honey flashed menacingly, reinforcing her words. She advanced slowly, like a cat advancing on its prey. A low, feral growl rumbled deep within her chest, barely audible but heard nonetheless. The demon gulped nervously as she neared.

Her cat eyes didn't miss his feet adjusting position as he geared up to make a run for it. With a faint smirk, she lunged forward faster than any human eyes could see and smashed him into the brick wall behind him, holding him up by his throat. Small legs kicked uselessly in the air, heels banging on the bricks as his oxygen supply was cut off. Unattractive gagging sounds escaped from him as he clawed at her hands leaving deep gouges that welled up with crimson blood. She didn't even notice. "Tell me. What. You. Know," Akina purred, staring into the eyes of the demon.

"Okay, okay!" he rasped. "Just let me down!" She sneered at him before relaxing the grip on his throat but she didn't let go. He glared at her through narrowed eyes but let up when her lip lifted in a snarl. "Geez, lady. Relax. Youko Kurama, right? I dunno where he is—" His words cut off into a gurgle when her fingers tightened again. "Let me finish!" he choked out. Her grip constricted even more in warning, causing his eyes to bulge, before she relaxed her hand again.

"Touchy, touchy," he grumbled. "I dunno where he's at now, but I heard he was at the last Dark Tournament six years ago. Rumor is he was injured about 20 years ago so he came here to hide in a human body. He's bidin' his time 'til he's strong enough to come back to Demon World."

"What's his human name?" she immediately demanded. Her right hand hung at her side, a small dagger tucked away out of sight of the demon, ready to be used should he prove stubborn.

"How should I know!" At the look in her eye, he was quick to continue. "I wasn't there and almost everyone who was is dead! Toguro and Urameshi really made a mess of things and then Sakyo went and blew up the stadium! Nobody made it out of that place alive except for the refs and the champs! They are the ones who witnessed Youko's appearance!"

Akina blinked at the word 'Urameshi.' Had Yusuke been in the Dark Tournament six years ago? She tried to remember where she was six years previously that would lead to this lapse of information. Time was such a blur to her these days that she honestly couldn't remember. It was a year before she traveled to the Human World, so that could account for not keeping up with the winners. Apparently there was a lot she didn't know about the human boy. "Fine," she relented, accepting his story. She _had _heard that the Dark Tournament had ended poorly with more people dead than alive. This corroborated the demon's story.

Relief flooded the demon's face as he stared up at her. "That's all I know… so… uh… can I go?" he asked nervously, eyes flitting from side to side.

As she was about to drop him, another thought came to her mind. "Tell me about Hiei," she demanded.

The demon's eyes expanded again at the name. "The Jaganshi?" he squeaked in obvious horror. His body locked up as his muscles went rigid. "What about him?"

"Why is he in Human World? How long has he been here?" The questions were sharp and challenging.

"Six and a half years ago, he robbed Koenma's Vault with two others named Kurama and Gouki. They were caught by the Spirit Detective and Koenma sentenced Hiei to probation here and he wasn't allowed to leave the city. But he was in the Dark Tournament with Urameshi and Koenma let him go after they won. Two years ago he fought in the Makai Tournament but he lost and up until a few months ago, he's been in Demon World with Mukuro!" The words left him in a rush. Clearly he wanted to get everything out before she began to choke him again.

Mukuro? What the hell? Hiei and _Mukuro_? This was unexpected. Ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest at this news, she forced out her next question. "What happened? Why is he back?"

The demon fidgeted, unwilling to say what he needed to. Her grip on his neck began to tighten and he wailed, "I don't know!"

She shoved her face into his, with only a few inches separating them. He shivered in fear as her warm breath hit his face. "What was his relationship with Mukuro?" she snarled. Her teeth bared, showing two pointed eye teeth.

"He was her second-in-command! Some say they were lovers, too, but no one knows for sure! I've heard they had some sort of fallin' out so he came back to his team! I promise if I knew more I would tell you!" the demon howled. His arms now hung uselessly at his sides and she realized he was shaking.

She also realized she didn't care.

"I was told he is still on probation and that's why he's still here. Are you lying to me?"

"No! I swear I ain't lyin'! He stays here 'cause he wants to! That's all I know! I swear on Koenma's life, that's all I know!"

Akina fell silent, staring at the terrified demon in front of her. It felt as though her mind was on overdrive as she took in all the information. Youko was in a human form and would be almost impossible to track now. Hiei and Kurama had robbed Koenma's vault. Yusuke was the winner of the Dark Tournament. Hiei had been with Mukuro. Despite the fact that she had achieved many answers, she suddenly felt as though she had a lot more questions than she had started with.

The little demon stared back at her and despite the fear he was radiating, he managed to pluck up enough courage to ask, "What's it to you, anyway? Who are you?"

It was apparent to him immediately that he had asked the wrong thing. The steely gaze that she already wore hardened to a look suggesting bloodshed. The grasp she had on him tightened until his face began to turn blue and his eyes bulged. Weakly, he brought up his arms to claw at her again but it was a futile effort. "I am your death," she hissed before bringing her right hand up and sinking the dagger deep into his neck. With a jerk, she pulled it forward, nearly decapitating him. Hot blood spurted from the gaping wound, coating her shirt and jacket. The fabric immediately soaked up the liquid and it stuck to her skin.

She stared at the lifeless body, its eyes still wide in terror, before dropping it to the ground. With the hem of her shirt, she wiped the blood off her blade before slipping it back into her wrist sheath. Silent as the shadows, she disappeared into the dark to make her way home.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Hey everyone! How's it going? Sorry it took so long for me to update. My goal is to update once a week but I got caught up in some family stuff at home. Thanks to my reviewers! You guys rock! And I will try to get better at personally responding to my reviewers. I'm just uber swamped with school starting up again. I have a full time schedule this semester and I work full time. I'll do my best! Thanks again everyone!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The sun was peeking over the mountains, casting a warm morning glow on the city. Traffic on the roads was beginning to pick up as husbands bid their wives and children goodbye for the day. Children in uniforms and backpacks giggled and laughed as they chased each other on the walk to their schools and mothers called an unheard warning to be careful. Around Akina, the city was bustling and coming to life.

The walk back to the house wasn't very far, maybe two or three miles. It wouldn't be hard to run the distance in less than a few minutes, but she found that, oddly enough, her body was tired and fatigued. Even her brain felt slightly muddled and it felt as though someone had stuffed cotton in her ears. And frankly, she was in no rush to return to the house.

After she had left the night before, she had decided to check up on some of her sources. Someone had pointed her in the direction of the alleyway where she met the demon she had interrogated and murdered.

Now, she was on her way back, moving like a slug, her body uncooperative. If she didn't know any better, she would say that she was moving through water. Her movements were jerky and slow, and the air felt thick. Around her, some of the passers-by pointed and some gave her scowls. A few even looked horrified but she didn't care or stop to wonder why. Instead, she meandered slowly through the streets, hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket as she thought about what she had learned.

First and foremost was Youko. He was in a human body. Without knowing his human name, it would be nearly impossible to track him down. _'And let's face it,'_ she thought bitterly. _'Ever since "the incident" fifty years ago, I haven't been so great at tracking anyway.'_

There was something that had always bothered her, though. After 160 years of searching for her father, shouldn't she have been able to find him by now? Even Hiei had managed to find Yukina within months of getting his Jagan. She had asked him to use the Jagan to find Youko, after he had gotten it. But try as he might, he could never find the infamous fox demon. In spite of that, though, they'd been hot on his trail multiple times. But, whenever she was pointed in one direction, she would be told that she had just barely missed him, as though he had been warned and was running away.

A nagging suspicion trickled into her mind, something that had always been there but that she had refused to acknowledge. But in light of new information, it was clear she could no longer deny the truth: it appeared that Youko Kurama did not want to be found. To be able to evade her so completely for so long could only mean that he knew she was looking for him. Youko was knowingly running from his daughter.

The realization of this made her miss a step. It was something she had always known, deep in the back of her mind, but finding him had been all she'd ever done. Denial is a very powerful force and it pushed her until only the thought of finding him consumed her. In fact, she had preferred that domineering thought to the thoughts of Hiei. It was her mother's last request. But now, she was confronted with yet another obstacle—Youko in a human body—and there was no way she could lie to herself anymore.

It was surprising to her to realize it didn't hurt her as bad as she thought it might have. Apparently her subconscious had accepted this truth long ago. It was simply her stubborn mind that had protected her. Knowing all this now, was there really a point to searching for him anymore?

But what would she do instead?

For so long, her life had been absorbed with finding him. She had even come to _Human_ World to find him. It was her reason for moving forward with her life and gave her a purpose. Stopping now was a daunting thought and had her mind reeling. Would she go back to Demon World? If so, where? She had no one. She was alone. Her parents were gone. She had abandoned Hiei and he wasn't likely to take her back. Kagami was still out there, along with her old friend Kira or even Nyoko from her childhood, but to find them would be impossible.

So would she stay in Human World? An outsider, a demon, pretending to be human? Had she sunk that low? She'd have to get a job. Koenma would only let her stay at the safe house for so long and it wasn't like Hiei wanted her there. That meant she'd be moving out soon anyway.

But that still brought up the question: where would she go?

Her thoughts broke off as she turned up the walk to the house. It seemed cold and empty from the outside, as though there was nothing inside waiting for her but heartache. The door opened quietly as she turned the knob and pushed. It was dark inside, with only the light from the rising sun to illuminate her surroundings. Despite the minimal light, however, she was able to see the sleeping bodies scattered around the room.

Yukina had fallen asleep on the love seat, a light blue blanket pulled up beneath her chin. The coffee table had been pushed aside and Kuwabara was sprawled out, taking up almost all the space, and snoring lightly. Yusuke was lying on the sofa. His arm was wrapped around Keiko's waist and he had her pulled up tight against his chest. Kurama still sat in the chair in the exact same position as when she had left, his emerald eyes glittering in the darkness.

When she had opened the door, the sound of soft murmuring cut off abruptly. As she took in the people before her, she realized that Yusuke was also staring at her over Keiko's head. It appeared she had interrupted a conversation between the former spirit detective and the red-head.

"Hey, guys," she whispered softly, closing the door lightly behind her with a soft click. The room was plunged into near darkness as the light from the outside was cut off.

Neither of them said anything in response. Instead, they both stared at her with similar expressions of shock. She frowned, remembering the looks she got as she'd walked back. "What's up?" Her voice was uncertain.

"Is that _blood_?" Yusuke hissed in a whisper. Keiko shifted at the sound and he froze, clearly hoping he hadn't woken his girlfriend.

Startled, Akina looked down to see the dark liquid had dried into a crust on her clothes. The fabric was stiff and was beginning to emit a fetid odor. She grimaced, then whispered, "Yeah. A local demon decided to be difficult." At the expressions on their faces, she felt it prudent to add: "None of it is human, if that's what you're concerned about."

"Is it yours?" Kurama's question was quiet but piercing.

"No. I'm f-f-fine." Her last word was interrupted with a yawn. She gazed at them through drooping eyelids. "I'm off to shower and then to bed. Come get me if you need me." She noticed the suspicious look in the detective's eyes, but was in no mood to care.

Akina trudged up the stairs, feeling as though each step was a mile high. Two sleepless nights was exhausting but she'd been up for a week straight without sleep before and had felt fine. Maybe it was the stress and anxiety from running into Hiei and the adrenaline rush from killing the demon. Every ounce of energy she had was put into lifting her legs high enough to ascend to the next stair.

It felt as though it had taken years to reach the top of the stairs, rather than minutes. In a cloudy haze, she moved forward, eyes set firmly on the door at the end of the hallway, determined to make it before the exhaustion overtook her and she collapsed. So focused on getting there, she was, she nearly screamed when Hiei's door opened and he materialized in front of her, hands shoved in his pockets.

His familiar red eyes were hard as he stared at her critically. "So you came back for the people you've only known for a few days, did you?" His voice was cold and accusing.

It took her a moment for her to process his words. They sounded distant and muffled, but when she did, her features twisted in a scowl at the implied insult. "No. I came back because it's a roof over my head." Was it just her, or were her words slurred?

He didn't say anything and his look didn't falter. His eyes, though, dropped down to the dried blood on her shirt, jacket, and pants. There was silence for a moment as he studied her. "You're covered in blood," he noted. This time, his tone did not give away what he was thinking.

Akina sighed and rubbed her forehead wearily. "So?" she asked. She was barely able to keep her eyes open at this point.

The ruby eyes locked onto her hand and he stared at it. She noticed this and froze, confused. "What?" He didn't answer and his expression still didn't change. She could swear, though, that she saw concern flicker in his expression but after a second glance, she concluded it must be the fatigue making her see things. "What?" she snapped irritably, dropping her hand. His gaze followed it. Frowning, she looked down and noticed the deep gouges from the demon. They had completely escaped her mind. "Damn," she muttered, examining the cuts. They were swelling and beginning to ooze a foul smelling pus-like substance. "Stupid little bastard. Must've had something on his hands."

She looked back up to see the fire demon glaring at her again. "Are you going to stand there all day? I really need to clean this." She waggled her mangled hand to make a point and swayed slightly on her feet.

He stared at her for a minute more before he grunted and disappeared. She blinked. Her slow mind had been unable to keep up with his quick movements. Shaking her head, she slipped into the comfort and solitude of her own room. She barely managed to close the door before the world went dark.

* * *

><p>Akina sat upright, panting. A bead of sweat tricked past her temple, leaving a wet trail behind. The blanket over her fell around her waist in a pool of folds. She stared ahead, trying to catch her breath. With shaking hands, she rubbed sleep from her eyes and pinched herself to make sure she was awake.<p>

"Son of a bitch," she growled into her hands before throwing herself back onto her billow.

The dream replayed through her mind and she struggled to banish it. It was surprising she hadn't finished the nightmare. It was such a common occurrence that she had it memorized, down to the very last second. It never ended until a very specific point. Something must've woken her. After all, she hadn't woken up screaming.

A knock on the door made her jump violently and she sat up again. "Yes?" she squeaked.

"May I come in, Akina-san?" came the polite voice, muffled slightly by the wooden door.

The tension left the cat's body in a rush and she sagged like a deflated balloon. "Yes," she repeated, a little less high-pitched.

The door opened and aqua-marine hair poked in above a smiling face that instantly exiled the remnants of the nightmare. "I'm sorry to wake you. I know you were out late but I came to heal your hand."

Akina glanced down at her left hand and saw that it was almost twice its normal size. She grimaced. She'd meant to clean it before she'd fallen asleep but that hadn't happened. In fact, she didn't even remembering crawling under the covers… The pus was still oozing from the cuts and the skin was stretched tight from the swelling. The veins in her hands stuck out against the nearly translucent skin. The stench was overpowering.

"Yeah that might be smart," she conceded. Curiously she poked the tight skin on the swollen appendage and hissed when burning pain shot up her arm and into her chest and back. The major nerve in her arm was on fire.

Yukina slipped into the room and closed the door softly behind her. She sat on the edge of the bed and gently reached out toward the grotesque hand. The fact that it was rank and slimy didn't seem to bother her.

Akina yawned, temporarily revealing her pointy fangs, and she reached up with her good hand to scratch a silver cat ear. "What time is it?" she asked drowsily. Despite the sleep she had gotten so far, she still felt as though her mind was trapped in a fog.

"About 4:00. Kurama-san said you returned around 7:00 this morning so you've been asleep for nine hours." The healer's hands were cold and seemed to ease the fire in her blood.

She groaned and her head pulsed sadistically with each breath she took. "Why am I so freaking tired?"

"The poison in your hand would be responsible for that." The cherry red eyes were examining the wound and it appeared she had reached a diagnosis. "You're lucky we caught this now. Any longer and you would have lost the arm." At this, her hands started to glow with a light blue aura. The pain immediately began to abate as a coolness seeped up her limb.

"What poison?" Akina asked, watching in demented fascination as her hand slowly began to return to normal size.

"It's the Poison of Eternal Sleep. It is not uncommon for some demons to grind it down into a powder form and use it on swords or knives. It slows your thinking and makes you very tired. Its effects are usually innocuous and by the time you realize you've been poisoned, you've fallen in a sleep so deep, you're unable to wake up." Yukina looked up at her. "I'm curious to know why a demon would feel the need to use it on you."

Akina sniffed indignantly. "He was being stubborn. He needed some… persuasion."

"And the blood?" The healer gestured the crispy dried liquid coating the neko's shirt.

"He asked too many questions."

The ice maiden ducked her head, hiding a smile. They fell silent as her hands continued their ministrations. As the coolness continued to spread through her, the murkiness that had settled over her mind began to lift and the exhaustion began to fade.

"Wow, I feel better already. Thank you so much!" she gushed, unable to express her gratitude adequately enough. "I'm so glad you came up here. I wouldn't have thought… to… go…" She trailed off as a thought came to her. "How did you know about my hand?" The tone of her voice was sharper than she'd meant it to be.

The glow around her hand was beginning to fade as Yukina stared down at the appendage, finishing the process. At the question, though, she looked up in surprise. "Hiei-san told me. He asked me to come heal it for you."

Akina's whole body went from comfortably cool to completely numb in the time it took for her to inhale. Hiei? _Hiei?_ Hiei had cared enough to make sure she didn't lose her arm? What the fu—?

"You still love him, don't you?" Yukina's soft words broke her train of thought off mid-word.

For the second time in as many seconds, Akina gaped in shock. To her shame and embarrassment, she felt her cheeks begin to burn. "I… well…. I… I don't know what you are talking about." Her denial sounded pitiful, even to her own ears, and she cringed at how awful a liar she was. Yukina smiled knowingly. Akina's face pinched into a scowl and she blurted: "It's been 120 years! And he hates me. It seems like I'd have gotten over him by now."

"But you haven't." It wasn't a question.

She sighed miserably and looked away. "No."

Thankfully, Yukina didn't ask any more questions. They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Akina's hand was released, feeling as good as new. The deep gashes on her hand were now little more than faint pink scars. All signs of the poison had been removed. "All done." Yukina smiled up at her, but it slipped into a frown as she glanced at the cat's neck. Her right index finger began to glow again and she reached out to touch the scabbed over cut at the base of Akina's throat.

The coolness washed over her once more and the scab slowly healed, melting away into nothing more than a pink line as fresh skin took its place.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Yukina started to smile again, but it came out as a grimace. "What?" Akina asked suspicious.

The healer shifted slightly before saying, "Don't take this the wrong way, Akina-san, but… you stink." Small fingers reached up to plug her delicate nose and her face crinkled in mild disgust.

The cat blinked, surprised, before she burst into laughter. Her breathing came in gasps as she broke down into a fit of giggles that escalated into laughs that rocked her whole body. Tears began to pour out of her eyes and stream down her face and the astonished face of her friend only fueled the mirth. She clutched her stomach, unable to catch a breath as she rocked back and forth.

Eventually, the laughter bubbled down into the occasional hiccup. "I'm s-s-sorry!" she gasped, letting out another hiccup. "The look on your face!"

Yukina shook her head, smiling. "I think you need some more sleep."

Akina hiccupped again. "I'm fine now. I just haven't felt this good in days. You're an amazing healer. Your skills have become even more astounding since the last time you healed me all those years ago."

The ice apparition's face flushed at the compliment. "Thank you. I've been practicing." She stood up as Akina smiled at her. "Well, I will leave you alone so you can clean up. Since I am staying here for a few more days, Botan and I went grocery shopping and I will be making dinner for those who want to stay. You're welcome to join us when you're ready."

Akina laughed once more as Yukina made her way to the door. "Thanks again, Yukina. You're the best."

* * *

><p>"Wow, Yukina, my love! This smells amazing!" Kuwabara gushed as he made his way into the kitchen. Yukina stood in front of the stove, stirring a sauce of some sort in a large, silver pot. Steam rose into the air, swirling into different shapes before fading into nothingness.<p>

She giggled. "Thank you, Kazuma! I'm glad you think so!"

"Thank you so much for making dinner, Yukina! Is there anything Yusuke and I can do to help?" Keiko asked as she, too, came into the kitchen followed by her boyfriend.

"Hey! No one said anything about helping!" At Keiko's glare, Yusuke quickly added, "But I will if I have to."

Yukina giggled again. "That's okay, Keiko. Thank you, though. I'm almost done." She picked up a large bowl and began to empty a pot of cooked rice into it.

Yusuke sat at the head of the table and Keiko sat next to him. The chair next to her pulled out as Kurama entered and took a seat. She smiled politely at the fox, who returned the gesture. Kuwabara sat across from her, saving the seat next to him for Yukina.

The ice maiden began to place the items of food on the table and she glanced at everyone who had come in. "Are Akina and Hiei coming?" Her head tilted to the side curiously, unsure if she should set the remaining two places.

As if in answer to her question, Akina walked in. Her orange hair was wet from a shower and she was wearing a plain t-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Mmmm…. It smells so good…" she said, eyes wide and shining. She still hadn't eaten and at this point, it had been almost four days since the last time she had had food. Her silver cat tail swished behind her in anticipation and Kuwabara's eyes locked onto it, transfixed. "Yukina, you're so amazing! Where did you learn to do all of this?"

"I usually live with Genkai and I have been learning how to cook there. Coming to visit Kazuma and the others every once in a while gives me a chance to practice!" Yukina beamed as she continued to set food on the table.

"Who's Genk—"

"You're still here?"

Akina froze at the words that had come from behind her and she heard someone at the table let out a sigh. She turned to come face-to-face with Hiei, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His hands disappeared into the folds of his cloak. Just as he had earlier, he was staring at her with accusing eyes. "I thought for sure you would have left by now."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously as her expression slipped into a glare. "What's your problem?" she snapped. His comments, while painful, were starting to get on her nerves. If he had such a problem with her, he could kick her out or kill her. She wasn't stopping him.

He shrugged in a gesture that was meant to appear uncaring but he continued to poke at her with his words. "I have no problem. I merely assumed you would have left without a word of explanation by this point."

His words buried into her, joining the other jabs he had made at her. They molded together, squirming and shifting, building and building until finally, the pressure was too much. Something inside of her snapped. Before anyone at the table could jump up to stop her, she flicked a knife to her hand and it was whistling through the air, right for the fire demon's forehead.

To her irritation, her smirked and tilted his head to the side. The dagger whizzed past and something in the front room shattered. His calm reaction fueled the anger she felt and without a word, she launched herself forward. Despite the fact that she might not be as strong as she once was, nothing had affected her speed. In the space of half a human heart beat, she was in front of Hiei and her fist connected solidly with his jaw.

His head whipped to the side, but he stood his ground. In the kitchen, no one said a word. It was though time had frozen as solid as an ice sculpture. The cat stood in front of her friend, breathing heavily in rage. She froze, though, when he merely chuckled. His eyes flashed dangerously as he slowly turned to look at her again. "You've gotten weak," he sneered.

She gawped at him for a second before composing herself. Provoked by his insult, she shot her fist out once more but before it could connect with his stomach, he caught her fist in his hand. They stayed that way, her hand in his, for a few seconds before he spoke. "Pathetic." And with that, he pushed as hard as he could, launching her across the kitchen.

With a grunt she hit the back door. As she looked up to scowl at him, she saw him charging across the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed everyone else staring in shock and the other boys stood up. She scrabbled to find the door knob behind her as Hiei raced toward her. As he reached her and crashed into her body, she managed to turn the knob.

The door flew open from the force and the two demons flew into the backyard. Akina landed on her back with Hiei on top of her, one bandaged hand fisted in her shirt and the other raining down punches. The two of them skid across the ground, dirt billowing up behind them as they cut into the ground. Rocks and twigs dug into her back and arms and made their way down her shirt but her primary concern was getting Hiei off of her. The weight on top of her was making it difficult to breathe as the slid foot after foot. Her arms were pinned to her sides and she was unable to bring them up to defend herself from his assault. Her head whipped side to side as he hit her over and over again.

"Hiei, what the hell are you doing?" Yusuke shouted as he ran out the back door. The others were hot on his tail. Keiko and Yukina stopped, watching with wide eyes. Yusuke began to move forward to break up the fight but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Let them be, Yusuke," Kurama said quietly. Yusuke turned back to look at him and saw the fox's emerald eyes transfixed on the puff of dirt making its way across the ground. "They need to work this out their own way. It would be unwise to interrupt."

"But she's a girl!" Kuwabara protested from beside the detective, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. His honor code prompted him to intervene and he was anxious to run into the yard. "We can't just let Hiei attack her like that!"

"She attacked him first," Kurama reminded him gently as he stepped back. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes never wavering from the fight before him. "They've known each other for a very long time. There is contention between them that needs to be resolved. If they do not work this out now, one of them may very well end up dead."

Yusuke and Kuwabara stared at him incredulously. "They're going to end up dead now!" Yusuke shouted into the fox's face. "Look at him! He's beating the shit out of her!"

Kuwabara started, "And she's your—"

"Quiet, you two." His tone was only a tad sharper than it had been moments before, but it was clear that he did not want the human psychic to finish that sentence. "Just watch."

Akina struggled beneath the fire demon. She was distantly surprised at how hard he had hit her to have them still skidding like rag dolls across the yard. Of course, he was still very much in control of the situation and was not going to let her go easily. With all her might, she pulled on her arms, desperate to get them free so she could defend herself but between the moving earth beneath her and the weight on top, they were useless to her.

She bucked her hips in an effort to dislodge the demon and was rewarded when he jerked to stay steady. The momentary lapse of mass allowed her to pull her arms free. Hiei, already off balance, was pushed violently off. He leaped into the air and landed gracefully on his feet.

Body free of the burden atop of her, Akina put her arms above her head and pushed up with her legs. The momentum from sliding across the ground allowed her to execute a perfect back flip and she landed in a crouch, supporting herself with one arm on the ground.

The whole encounter had lasted less than half a minute, but had taken them quite a distance from the house. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the group of people watching from the back door. Even from here she could see the irritation in most of them. She paid them no heed and instead turned to her attacker. "Asshole!" she yelled. "That friggin' hurt!"

Hiei stood several feet in front of her, fists poised before him, ready to fight. His cloak was now in a heap several feet away and he wore a blue shirt with no sleeves. His black pants were held up by two white belts. He smirked at her comment. "You really are pathetic. You couldn't even fight me off. What have you been doing for the last century? Playing games with little children?"

Akina stood up slowly and used her fist to wipe away a dribble of blood from the corner of her mouth. Noting his fighting stance, she, too, brought her fists before her. "You don't know anything about what I've been through the past 120 years."

"And whose fault is that?"

A low, feral growl rumbled deep in her chest at the words as they bit into her and took root deep within. Blood oozed from between her fingers as she clenched her hands even tighter, digging her nails into her palms. Rage, hot and scorching, bubbled up into her chest and made her blood begin to boil. "Don't you dare try to pin this whole thing on me," she spat viciously. "As I recall, you didn't try to stop me. In fact, you disappeared before I did. It's not like you made that much of an effort to stop me."

That was the wrong thing to say. Akina saw his eyes narrow just before he disappeared. Before she could raise her arms to defend herself, his fist connected with her jaw, much harder this time. The force of the blow caused her to stagger back a step but she quickly retaliated. The feeling of cartilage grating against her fist as his nose connected with her knuckles gave her a brief feeling of satisfaction. It was short-lived as he swung his leg around and swept her legs out from beneath her.

As she fell, she twisted her body so she landed on her forearms, bracing herself from the impact. It took her mere seconds to leap back to her feet. He was standing some feet away again, this time with his katana drawn, held in both hands in front of him. Seeing this, she flicked two more daggers from her wrist sheaths and held them up before her defensively. "You're right," he conceded, but his stance didn't make it look like he meant what he said. "But I wouldn't have had to stop you if you hadn't left in the first place."

It was her turn to move first. She pounced forward, swinging her knives around to stab him. There was a clang of metal on metal as he blocked with his sword. They stood still for the briefest moment, eyes locked on one another above their tangled weapons. Hiei snarled and broke away. She ducked as he attacked, hearing the 'whoosh' as the metal flew by overhead. She jumped up and began her assault on him, over and over, swinging her knives without giving him a chance to strike back. "I'm sorry!" As she spoke, she punctuated each word with another swipe of her weapons. He easily dodged or blocked with his katana. He took a step back each time she moved to hurt him. "What more do you want from me? What do you want me to say?"

He blocked another jab of the knife and saw an opening. He shot forward and, with his free hand, punched her hard in the chest. The wind flew out of her in a rush and she fell backward, landing on the ground in a heap. Before she could respond or get her breath back, he stood over her with his sword tip pressed into her throat.

Akina stared up at the fire demon. While he looked as though he had not exerted any physical effort, she was gasping for air and nearly panting. The two remained locked in the gaze of the other, unable to break away. The bystanders remained absolutely still, unsure if they should intervene at this point or see what happened.

Hiei's voice was low as he spoke, so quiet that even with her cat hearing she could barely hear him. "I want you to tell me why you're still here."

She continued to stare up at him, uncertain on how she should answer that. Hell, she wasn't even sure if she _had_ an answer for that. When she didn't say anything, she felt the tip of his sword press even deeper into her throat. There was some noise of protest at the backdoor but she ignored them. "You're useless," he growled. "120 years ago there would have been no way I could beat you."

Her eyes narrowed. Quick as lightning, her leg shot out and she kicked him in the shin. Surprised, he stumbled, the grip on his sword loosening. Spry as a cat, she jumped to her feet and swung her leg up and around, kicking his hands. The katana flew into the air, landing point first in the dirt several meters away. With a yell, she launched forward and slammed into him. Not expecting this, he stumbled back. The weight on him threw him off balance and he landed on the ground with the cat straddling his waist, two daggers pointed at his throat.

"I'm still here because I have nowhere else to go," she said quietly. "And quite frankly, I made a mistake. I've missed you, Hiei. If I could take back what I did, I would."

He scowled from his place beneath her, aware of the points at his neck. "And who says I even want you here?"

Her own golden eyes flashed and she lifted one of her knives. There was more yelling from the others, but she still paid no attention to them. There was a dull thud as she brought her knife down and it sunk into the dirt next to the fire demon's ear. Despite the fact it was mere centimeters away from him, he did not flinch. "You're mad at me for leaving and you're mad at me for staying." Her voice was clear and strong as she glared at him. "You can't have it both ways. Pick one and stick to it. If you want me to leave then fine; I will. But that is on you and you cannot blame that on me."

The scowl on his face slowly slipped away until his face was blank and impassive as her words sunk in. He stared up at her critically, observing the fierce look on her face and the determination in her posture. This was how he remembered her. Not as some weakling that could barely throw a punch or took his demeaning words without a fight. After several minutes of silence, he finally spoke. "Get off me."

With a start, Akina realized she was still on top of the fire demon. Quickly she jumped up, landing on her feet and sheathing her knives. He stood up and walked to his sword without a word. Silently, he, too, sheathed his weapon and turned toward his cloak. With a swish, he wrapped it around him. "Stay, then," he said without turning to look at her. His arm stretched out as he pushed it through the clothing. She blinked at him, unsure if she had heard him correctly. He began to walk back to the house, tucking his hands into his pockets. "You're so weak that you'd surely die if you were to leave, anyway."

Surprise quickly gave way to a scowl, but there was no menace behind it. This smartass comment was different than the other ones. While the others had been meant to provoke her, she still knew him well enough to know that this one was his way of acting tough. This comment was meant to tease her. She sneered at his retreating back and stuck her tongue out at him.

As he walked through the door into the kitchen, he added, "And don't make that face at me. It's very unflattering."

She froze in place. Her small pink tongue slowly retracted back through her lips and she stared. Completely stunned, she was unable to move as Keiko, Yukina, Kurama and Kuwabara rushed toward her, asking if she was okay. Yusuke stayed at the back door. Akina didn't notice as he folded his arms and watched her, eyes untrusting. She didn't notice anyone as she stared at the doorway where Hiei had disappeared.

He hadn't turned around to see her making that face.

A warm, bubbly feeling made its way into the pit of her stomach as she gawked at the back door. He hadn't turned around to see her making that face because even after 120 years, he still knew her well enough to know she would without even having to look.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Sorry it took so long to update and sorry that things have been moving kind of slow without a point. Don't worry, starting next chapter, we're going to be focusing more on the plot line rather than Akina and Hiei. So it'll start to get better and pick up a little bit. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read! You guys are amazing! I'll get the next one out asap!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"So, Koenma. Is there some particular reason you have chosen to convene at this diner, rather than your office?"

The young leader of the Spirit World shifted in his seat and tugged uncomfortably at the red Hiei-esque bandana wrapped around his head to cover up the 'Jr' tattooed on his forehead while in teenager form. "Why yes, actually, there is. My father discovered I have been asking you and the others for help without his permission." He made a face. "He's not very happy with me at the moment."

Kurama smiled knowingly from his place across the table. The white coffee mug before him was no longer steaming, though it was still nearly full. "I can imagine the wrath of King Yama must be great. No doubt it hurts you to sit down for so long after such an appalling punishment."

Koenma's cheeks flushed, matching the color of his bandana. "Shut up, Kurama," he said through gritted teeth. "I called you here for a reason!"

One more chuckle escaped from the red head's lips. "My apologies, sir. Down to business, then?"

The prince threw one more glare before he responded. He hesitated for a moment, debating with himself, before coming to some sort of resolution. With shoulders squared in purpose, he spoke. "I've come to speak with you about Akina."

All traces of humor left Kurama's face in an instant. Glittering emerald eyes went flat and hard. The politeness, however, never left his voice. "What about her?"

"Can we trust her?"

"Trust her with what, exactly?"

"You know what I mean," Koenma barked.

"I'm not sure I do." That was a lie and they both knew it.

Despite the fact that the two were tucked away into a corner and as far away as possible from everyone else in the restaurant, they kept their voices low. It was a couple hours after noon, and most humans were at work, leaving the establishment fairly vacant. Nevertheless, there were still some couples and groups of giggling girls milling about. Their conversation was not one that was meant to be overheard.

"Oh stop it. You know exactly what I am getting at," Koenma snapped. He picked up his own mug to take a sip of his beverage but found it to be empty. With a clatter, he placed it back on the matching saucer. "You know what has been happening in the city the past few weeks. How do you know she's not a part of it? She could be a spy." Kurama did not reply, nor did his gaze waver. "I know she is your daughter but I need to know that won't get in the way if she ends up being dangerous and we need to eliminate her."

There was silence. Koenma eyed the fox, clearly expecting an answer. He folded his arms over his chest and his liquid amber eyes were steady. Kurama clasped his hands before him, deciding the best way to reply. Each word was carefully calculated before he spoke. "At this point in time, I am not sure whether or not we can trust her. She has only been at the safe-house for four days. We have not been able to determine anything concrete."

Koenma nodded. "And the others? What do they think?"

Again there was another pause as Kurama considered his words. "I have not had a chance to speak with them in depth. But, from what we were able to discuss in passing, Yusuke and Kuwabara appear to be on the fence like myself. We need more time to observe her."

"And Hiei?"

At this, the fox's eyes hardened even more. "Hiei and I have not had the chance to speak yet. Though in light of recent events, it appears he and I have much to discuss."

The prince did not miss the undercurrent of venom in the fox's voice. As he opened his mouth to ask what was meant by 'recent events,' he was interrupted.

"Hey there! How are you two doin' all the way over here?" The young waitress appeared next to the table like a phantom. Her smile was bright and her voice was bubbly. She wore a collared pink t-shirt with the top few buttons open and a short black skirt. Her long brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail and a pad of paper was in her hands, pen poised above it. "Can I get you anything else to drink, darlin'?" Her question was directed at Koenma.

"No. I'm fine, thanks," he replied in short, clipped tones that clearly stated he wanted her to leave.

Despite the lack of courtesy, she smiled. "Well, holler if you need anythin'!" She winked at them before walking away.

Kurama made to move to get out of his chair. Despite the brevity of the conversation, he knew it was time for him to leave. He was not willing to answer any more questions. "If you'll excuse me, I have some items of business I need to tend to."

"Wait, Kurama." This time, Koenma's voice was firm. He was no longer a pal drinking coffee; he was the leader of the Spirit World, ready to give his instructions. Kurama remained seated and looked at him expectantly. "She is not to be left alone. Do you understand me? I want you, Hiei, Yusuke, or Kuwabara with her at all times."

"That is a lot to ask, don't you think? Already the four of us are patrolling the city—at your request—in hopes of catching the perpetrators or to prevent more harm. Kuwabara and I are also attending our respective universities. When Yusuke is not training for the next Demon World tournament, he spends a fair amount of time with Keiko these days, when she is not studying of course."

"I understand you are busy but it can't be helped! Until we know if she can be trusted, she must be watched! We don't know who she is or where she came from. Just because she is your daughter does not mean she means well."

Kurama regarded him for several long minutes. The two men stared at each other, both with eyes narrowed defiantly. Finally, he sighed, conceding to the young prince's point. "I will let the others know. Don't worry, we will take care of it."

"Thank you."

It wasn't until the fox had disappeared through the front doors of the café that Koenma realized Kurama had not addressed his other concern. In the event that Akina was a threat to them, whose side would Kurama take? His team's or his daughter's?

* * *

><p>Akina stared down at the little kids in the park as they chased each other in games of tag. Others were testing the laws of gravity as they played on the swings, pushing themselves higher and higher. Some hung upside down on the monkey bars, dangling like the monkeys for which the equipment was named. The sound of laughter and giggles was soothing to the cat as she sat in her tree several yards away, hidden by the leaves, able to watch without being seen herself.<p>

She leaned against the trunk of the tree, one leg hanging over the limb while the other was pulled up against her and used as an arm rest. It was odd how relaxing it was to observe these humans living their day-to-day lives. The children were something she found she particularly enjoyed. Their innocence was refreshing.

The branch she sat on shook as a pair of black boots landed on the end of it. She looked up, slightly startled. She hadn't been expecting company. Upon realizing who it was, though, she tensed involuntarily.

"What are you doing?" Hiei asked, staring at her, his hands tucked away inside his cloak. As usual, his expression gave nothing away. And, as usual, she found this to be aggravating. She still knew his little quirks and idiosyncrasies, but there was still a lot that had changed over the years. It irritated her that she was not able to read him as well as she used to.

She tore away from his vermillion eyes and turned back to the kids. "Watching," was all she gave in way of reply.

"I can see that." His tone was dry. "Why?"

She sighed, still apprehensive of his appearance. "Because it's something to do and I enjoy it. Why are _you_ here?"

"You disappeared."

She flinched, waiting for some snide remark about how she had abandoned him. Hiei noticed this but didn't comment on it. Instead, he said, "I was wondering where you ran off to. I traced your pitiful energy here."

At that, she scowled up at him. "Did you come to mock me? Or to be mean to me? Or to tell me to leave again? If it's any of the above, then _you_ can leave."

"I said you could stay, didn't I?" Now there was impatience in his tone. She sniffed at him and looked away. The two fell into silence as they watched the scene below. "I thought you were looking for Youko."

A humorless snort came from the cat. "Yeah. Right. I think I'm done with that. If he wanted me to find him, he would have let me find him a long time ago. I was just too stubborn to give up but I'm finally beginning to see it's useless to continue."

"You've never been much of a quitter. And he may be closer than you think." To her confusion, there was _humor_ in his voice.

Asshole.

One eyebrow went up as she looked at him, slightly insulted. "I'm glad you find this so funny. Do you, by chance, know something that I don't? If so, do tell. I'm quite interested to know."

His expression gave nothing away. He watched her for another moment before he looked back down at the kids. "I don't understand why you find watching these little monsters enjoyable. They seem… loud."

The fact that he eluded her question did not escape her notice, but she did not press the matter. He'd said more than enough. "Monsters. And this comes from demon that has three eyes."

He scowled at her, but did not remark. She shook her head and once more turned back to watch the children. Below her, a young boy and girl, probably around 4-years-old, were holding hands and skipping through the grass. Songs about butterflies and ducks wafted up to her and she smiled.

"I've never seen you without your ears and tail before," Hiei observed suddenly. "I don't like it."

She didn't even bother to look up at him. A smirk twitched at the corner of her mouth. Some things would never change. He wasn't one for tact, that was certain. "I would be offended by your bluntness, but I don't like it either. It's uncomfortable."

"Hiei. Akina." They both turned at the new voice as it sounded above the children below. Hidden farther into the trees, out of the sight of the humans around them, they could see Kurama staring up at them, his red hair standing out against the green of the foliage.

Without being asked, the two short demons dropped from the tree branch, landing gracefully on their feet before the fox. Kurama looked down at her and smiled. "Hello, Akina. How are you today?" he asked her politely.

She smiled back. "I'm great, actually. I've had a long time to think and figure some stuff out."

"Good. I'm glad." His smile, while genuine, didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. He turned to Hiei. "Hiei, might I have a word with you?" The fire demon grunted in response. Both Akina and Kurama knew him well enough to know that was his consent. "If you don't mind, Akina, we'll meet you back at the house. I believe Yukina is preparing dinner again, since she is returning to Genkai's in the morning."

The dismissal was clear. Despite her curiosity as to what they would need to speak of in private, she nodded. It wasn't her business. It was odd, though, to see that Hiei had built a life here, with friends that had items to discuss in privacy. Even more unsettling was knowing that he wouldn't meet up with her at the end of the day and exchange information like they used to. Being back near the fire demon was throwing her off; things were not how they used to be.

"Okay, I'll see you there." She met the fire demon's gaze once more before she waved at them and walked away.

They both watched her depart and waited until she was out of earshot before they spoke. "What do you want, fox?"

"You lied to me, Hiei. You told me you didn't know her. I want to know why." Kurama's gaze was piercing as he stared at the shorter demon. And, as always, his tone remained polite but deadly.

There was no way Hiei was going to answer that with the truth. So, he replied with, "Does it matter? You know the truth now."

"Yes. I do." There was a pause. "Koenma wants us to watch her."

Anger flitted briefly across the fire demon's face. "For what reason?"

"He doesn't trust her. He feels she may be a spy." Nothing about the fox gave away what he was thinking at this point. The fire demon was unsure if his friend was angered by this or if he agreed with it.

"She's here looking for you, she said so herself."

"Are we sure about that, Hiei? It could be a cover story. You know what's been happening around town. The spikes of demon energy. The explosions. The attacks. For all you know, she could be a part of it."

Hiei thought about Akina's admission moments before that she had given up looking for Youko. He wouldn't divulge that bit of information either. It would only prove the red-head's point. He found it odd, and even somewhat amusing, that it was still instinctual for him to defend her. "I highly doubt that, fox."

"Regardless, Koenma has asked one of us to remain with her at all times."

Hiei was silent for a moment, debating. Currently, he lived with her under the same roof. The responsibility to watch her would fall on him most of the time anyway, except for when it was his turn for patrol duty. He could discover the truth for himself. "Fine," he snapped.

"I need to know your feelings for her are not going to impair your judgment."

He blinked, completely caught off guard."My _feelings_ for—"

"Don't try to lie to me, Hiei. It's quite clear you still love her."

"I don't _love _her. I've never lo—"

"Of course not. You were simply so thrown off by her appearance because you are indifferent to her, is that right?" Kurama's tone was sharp. Hiei said nothing, though his responding glare was spectacular. "Tread carefully, Hiei. She is not the only one I will be keeping a close eye on." As Hiei stared into the green eyes of his friend, he could have sworn they flashed a familiar gold for the briefest moment before the fox turned and walked away.

* * *

><p>"Wow Yukina! That was amazing!" Keiko gushed. "You've become an excellent cook!"<p>

"Yeah, Yukina. This is fantastic!" These words from Akina were muffled as she spoke around a barrage of half-chewed food, and were barely distinguishable.

Yukina beamed from where she stood next to the table. "Thank you! Would anyone like more?"

Akina swallowed the bite she was chewing and pushed her now empty plate away from her. With a groan she leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach. "I wish. I ate too much already."

"Thank you, Yukina, but I'm okay as well," Keiko said with a smile.

Yukina turned to the ex-detective sitting at the head of the table. It was only him, Keiko, and Akina there. Hiei had returned from his chat with Kurama but had not sat down to eat. Kurama and Kuwabara were nowhere to be found. "Yusuke?" she asked.

He sat in his chair, leaning on the back two legs with his feet propped up on the table. The plate before him had barely been touched, a rarity for the human. His arms were folded over his chest and his brown eyes were locked on Akina. He did not look away as he responded in a quiet voice: "No. Thanks."

Next to him, Keiko frowned. "Are you all right Yusuke? You barely touched your food."

"I'm fine," he answered shortly.

Akina—who was not unaware that the ex-detective had been staring at her the entire meal—finally turned to face him. His eyes were narrowed slightly, seeming too intelligent for a junior high school dropout. But then again, this was the Mazoku who organized the Demon World Tournament. His human education had nothing to do with his intellect. Currently, there was something on his mind, something he knew. "Can I help you, Yusuke?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure? You've been staring at me all throughout dinner."

"I'm great."

"If you need something, let me know."

"Will do."

She raised an eyebrow at him. He mimicked her action. It was clear he was hiding something and his monosyllabic answers were maddening. But if he didn't want to talk about it, then he didn't want to talk about it. What did it really matter, anyway? If he did have a problem, he would confront her soon enough. From her few brief encounters with the human, she knew he was not really one to hold in what he was thinking for too long. His sarcastic and blunt nature didn't allow him to refrain.

Ignoring the former detective for the time being, Akina rose from her place at the table and began to clear the dishes, piling them next to the sink where Yukina was rinsing them under the running water. They smiled at each other. Yukina handed her a dripping dish and she picked up a towel. Carefully she dried the sopping plate before laying it neatly on the counter.

Behind them, there were muted whispers as Keiko and Yusuke spoke softly to each other, so quietly that she couldn't pick up what they were saying. From what she could gather, though, Keiko was upset about something and Yusuke sounded as though he didn't care. After a few minutes, Keiko let out a huff. Her chair scraped across the ground as she pushed away from the table and her footsteps took her from the room.

As the pile of clean dishes began to build, there was a familiar itch on the back of Akina's neck. A small shiver ran up her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. It was a feeling she was accustomed to, but not one she enjoyed. Someone was watching her. Slowly she turned. Yusuke's brown eyes were locked onto her once again.

"Are you absolutely sure everything's okay, detective?" she asked through gritted teeth. He was beginning to get on her nerves.

"Fan-friggin'-tastic," he replied, voice flat. The tone and the words did not match.

She glared at him.

"Um… Akina, I can finish the rest of the dishes if you would like to do something else…" Yukina's voice was hesitant behind her. The ice maiden could obviously sense the building tension and was attempting to relieve the situation. Akina ignored her.

"Would you stop staring at me?" she snarled. The young fighter did not reply, but his gaze did not waver. In fact, his eyes narrowed the tiniest fraction, as though he was staring at her even harder.

Jackass.

There was a low rumbling in her chest. It was soft, almost like a low vibrating hum. But if her irritation was fueled anymore, the sound would rise in volume until it was a full growl, like a cat with her back arched, hackles raised, and teeth bared.

As she opened her mouth to tell him off in a less-than-polite way, she paused. Yusuke, who had been waiting to hear what she would say, frowned slightly and watched as she tilted her head to the side.

Something had caught her attention. Something… familiar. It had passed by so briefly, she wasn't even sure she knew what it was. A feeling? A sound? A smell? She closed her eyes and sniffed the air delicately. The main smell in the room was the dinner they had just eaten. There was the smell of the human before her, the human girl in the front room, the fire demon upstairs, and the ice maiden. A few other household smells were picked up as well but she pushed past them, trying to determine what it was that had caught her attention.

There it was, so faint that it was at the edge of her senses, barely perceptible even with her cat nose. It was almost like the smell of burning hair and melting plastic. One silver ear twitched, trying to see if there was a sound with it. Once again pushing past the sounds of the other living bodies in the house, she heard a faint whistling, almost like a boiling teakettle.

"Yusuke," she whispered, still concentrating. Every muscle was beginning to tense up, starting in her shoulders and working its way down as her body went rigid. A sinking feeling appeared in the pit of her stomach and she suddenly felt nauseous.

The young boy seemed to pick up on the seriousness of her tone. He sat up straight and dropped his feet from the table. "Yusuke, grab Keiko and run." He stared at her as though she had grown two heads and had spoken in Pig Latin. Her golden eyes snapped open, fire dancing behind them. "Yusuke, RUN!" she shouted.

He was smart enough to know there's a time and a place to ask questions. He was on his feet and in the other room before she could say another word. Akina whipped around and grabbed Yukina, who looked terrified and confused. "What's going on, Akina?" she asked. The front door slammed as Yusuke and Keiko disappeared.

Akina didn't reply. "Hiei!" she called out softly instead, knowing the fire demon would be able to hear her.

The stench was stronger now, nearly overpowering. It made her gag. No one else, though, could smell it as they did not have her cat senses. She knew from the intensity of the smell that they only had mere seconds. She debated for only an instant—run or hide? A black figure appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, making up her mind. She pushed the ice maiden toward her brother, not caring as the girl let out a squeal of surprise. His hands shot out to steady her.

"Run," Akina said. The fire demon, seeing the look of urgency on her face, didn't argue or ask questions. She was not one to spook easily and her expression said more than enough. He scooped up his sister and disappeared through the back door without another word, knowing the cat could fend for herself. She turned to run but knew it was too late. Instead of bolting, she dove under the table.

And then, the world around her exploded.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

OMG! What's going on? Why is everyone so suspicious of Akina? What's been happening around town that has caught the attention of Koenma, in spite of his father's request to stay away from the Spirit Detective? And why did she tell everyone to run? Stay tuned to find out...

Haha, hey everyone! Sorry this one is so short... It's the shortest chapter I've ever posted, without the note at the end. No worries, the next one should be longer. :) Thanks for hanging in there!

I just want to say thanks to those who took the time to review! You guys rock! So thanks to: Just Wait and See, Kate101, Takara Rose Oizumi, k . se7en.L (sorry, it wouldn't let me put your name in here without the space...), and ovenfreshh. You're amazing!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The first thing to go was the windows. They shattered, one by one, spraying inward in a splash of glass. In the kitchen, it made a tinkling noise against the tile floor and skidded across the room in chunks. If not for the dire circumstances, one might have found the glittering shards beautiful as they caught and reflected the rays of the sun as they twirled through the air.

Akina curled under the table in the fetal position with her arms over her head, trying to protect her vital organs. Around her, the world flashed a brilliant white. Everything was washed away as the white blinded her, creating a blank canvas where before there was a kitchen. The stench was insurmountable, overwhelming her sense of smell until nothing else existed but the white light and the stink.

When the impact came, it rocked the world, shaking the house into near oblivion. There was no fiery inferno as this was not an explosion of a human nature, but the immense demon energy was no less damaging. The walls were next to go, crumbling and falling away in chunks. Plaster fell to the ground as the house quivered violently. Support beams inside the walls were unable to maintain the movement and snapped in an outburst of splinters. The ceiling caved in, collapsing down around the cat. Despite the protection of her table, debris was thrown toward her, pelting her from all sides. She curled up tighter, trying to make herself a smaller target for the deadly fragments. Something long slid into her thigh and she hissed at the pain. Immediately her leg became warm as blood began to flow.

The entire structure fell in on itself, creating a thick cloud of dust that gagged Akina and she quickly drew her shirt up over nose. The noise was nearly unbearable for her cat ears as items crashed into each other and the house came down around her.

It felt as though it went on for days as she continued to be pelted with glass, plaster, wood, and household items. Even with her eyes squeezed shut, the blinding light was intense enough to make her eyes water. The air around her began to grow hot as the demon energy came closer to her, making the air sizzle and crackle. But, as it continued to destroy the house, it slowly began to fade, unable to maintain its path of destruction any longer. In a final burst, the ball of energy dissipated.

And, with the pressure of it gone, the rest of the house finally collapsed, caving in on itself and the cat inside.

* * *

><p>Everything was dark.<p>

Akina found this odd. Being a cat, her sight was usually better in the dark than it was in the light. But currently, she couldn't even see her own hand in front of her face. She attempted to move but there was pressure pushing her down as the debris and the remnants of the table piled on top of her. Pain shot through her like hot daggers, tracing every inch of her skin with fire. She gasped and froze, still curled up into a ball on her side.

For a brief moment, the tight space and the dark seemed to intensify, consuming every inch of her mind until it was all that was there. Pure unadulterated panic welled up within her and adrenaline shot into her system. The need to escape and to be freed of her prison was so strong that she began to thrash violently. A scream began to worm its way up her throat, building and building, ready to be released into the open as though it would somehow better her situation.

As she flailed, the rubble began to move. It followed the effects of gravity and soon she was being showered with more splinters of wood and bits of plaster. The entire pile creaked dangerously, threatening to collapse on her and crush her into nothingness.

With a tremendous effort of will, she held still and clamped her mouth shut before the scream could emerge. She squeezed her eyes shut—not that it made a difference—and took a deep breath through her nose. _'Oh, stop it,' _she berated herself. _'You're acting like a weak human. You've been in worse situations than this. Fix it!'_

Being at the bottom of the pile, it was obvious she had to get out. But how was she to get there? Though she couldn't see, she could feel that she was closed in on all sides. Crawling to a more open space or until she escaped from a side was out of the question. Going down would be counter-productive and impossible with the tile floor. If she couldn't go sideways and she couldn't go down, that left one direction: up.

Quite frankly it was a miracle she hadn't been crushed already. The table she had hidden under had snapped, though it appeared to support a good amount of the weight of the house. To get to the top, would she worm her way through or push it off her? The answer came to her as she reached around her for some sort of opening that she might be able to squeeze through. Her heart sank. There was nothing; pushing up was the only way out.

Gritting her teeth, she attempted to shift, bringing her legs beneath her. It wasn't easy with the weight on her but she managed it. At one point in the motion, there was another groan as the mountain above her shifted but she ignored it. After several minutes, she was kneeling, bent over with her forehead nearly touching the ground, unable to sit up in the small space. All of her oxygen supply was cut off as she sat in the awkward position, her torso pressed into her legs. With a grunt of effort, she used her back to push up against the wreckage.

Nothing happened at first. She pushed with everything she had, straining against the cold, hard ground. Every muscle in her body screamed with the effort of pushing a house off of her, a feat that no human could ever hope to match. There was a grating noise as everything shifted, falling to the sides with a loud clatter. Dust billowed up once more, forming a cloud around her. Pain flared up in her body but she ignored it, knowing it didn't matter how much she hurt if she didn't escape. Slowly, she was able to move until she was standing.

Now upright, she stopped, unsure of how to proceed. It wasn't as though she could just stand there forever but if she moved, would she instantly be squashed to death as it moved back to its former position?

Suddenly, the load above her shifted again but this time, it became lighter. Though still heavy, the weight was less substantial. A faint, luminous glow began to peek its way through, illuminating the world around her. As she struggled to keep from being crushed, there was a shuffling above. It almost felt like someone was pulling as she pushed. The light continued to grow around her as the weight above her continued to decrease.

As her legs began to shake from the effort of merely standing, she was forced to let go of her hold on the wreckage. Closing her eyes in anticipation of imminent death, she was momentarily surprised when nothing happened. Clearly she had pushed the load into a position that would hold, providing her with a space to stand up in.

She looked around, debating on her next move. Above her, items were still moving and the light was still intensifying. She was unsure if it was someone trying to get to her or if she had caused a landslide by moving the pile. As if in answer to her question, the chunk of plaster right above her was flung aside and replaced with a head.

Akina blinked against the sudden light, pupils dilating as Hiei slowly came into focus. The look of relief on his face was quickly replaced with anger. "You stupid cat," he hissed as he stared down at her. She frowned at him, confused, before he sighed. "Come on." He extended his arm toward her and she reached up to take his hand. A yelp of surprise escaped her as he pulled, launching her into the air and up through the pathway he had created, nearly ripping her arm out of its socket. He caught her in his arms, one arm beneath her knees, the other below her shoulders.

It appeared he had torn through the pile of debris, determined to get to where he knew she had last been. They now stood on the top of the pile, overlooking the front yard and the street. A collection of humans began to gather around them, all ogling and staring, whispering and gossiping. Some kids pointed to the two demons on top, but the two were out of sight before any adults could see them.

Akina gasped as Hiei jumped into the air and on top of the remnants of Koenma's safe-house. He landed with grace on broken support beams, leaping off them as they gave way under his weight. Behind them, the heap of ruins began to fall in on itself in another crashing boom. The humans screamed and backed away.

Hiei hit the grass at a dead run and took off into the trees, knowing full well it was important to disappear before they could be seen and associated with the mess. The cat clung onto him for dear life, eyes closed as she buried her face into his chest. His arms were warm around her. Too warm, almost. She had forgotten that, being a fire demon, he ran at a higher temperature than most demons. She inhaled deeply, and was immediately comforted by the smell of him. Even though it had been so long since she'd been close enough to smell him, it was a scent she would never forget: a mixture of wood smoke and pine. It was heaven to her.

He darted through the trees at a speed not visible to humans as they retreated into the forest. Leaves shook as he zoomed past, and more than one furry woodland creature was almost run over. With how fast he ran, it was not surprising how quickly they came to a stop. Hiei's speed was something he'd always prided himself on and though they had been running for only a few minutes, Akina knew they were where they needed to be in order to stay safe.

She opened her eyes and peered around to see Yusuke, Keiko, and Yukina. They were in a clump of trees in the forest, some distance away from the house. Keiko and Yukina were huddled close together, faces drawn and both quiet. Yusuke, though, looked as though he could spit fire.

"What the hell was that?" he shouted, advancing on the two demons. Both of them ignored him as Hiei gently placed Akina on her feet. She winced as she stood up straight, feeling the cuts and bruises all over her body. A wave of drowsiness washed over and the edges of her vision began to darken. Her brow furrowed as she tried to process why that would possibly happen. She wasn't hurt badly enough to lose consciousness…

A gasp sounded out and she glanced over to Yukina, who was staring at her with bright red eyes full of worry. "Akina! Your leg!" Still confused and trying to process the words, Akina looked down by instinct.

A detached part of her mind knew she should be concerned with what she saw but instead, she was morbidly fascinated. A long splinter of wood, about 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter had been shot into her left thigh sometime during the explosion. Blood coated both ends and was dripping down her leg in a crimson river, already pooling at her feet. At least that explained the drowsiness, she thought. She cocked her head to the side as she stared at it. "Well, fuck," she stated before the darkness consumed her vision completely and she collapsed.

* * *

><p>Light. Breathing. Whispers. Pounding.<p>

As consciousness returned to Akina, she became aware of these things first. Despite her eyes being closed, the light came through, filtered by her eyelids but enough to make her wince. Next was the sound of breathing, directly to the right of her. It was soft and easy, stationary and fixed. Clearly someone was sitting next to her. After that was the realization that she was lying on something soft and a blanket covered her.

Around her was the muted sound of whispers. Although she had her cat hearing, she didn't bother trying to make out what they were saying. The pounding in her head made it difficult to concentrate on much more than the pulsating pain.

Akina groaned, bringing her hands up to cradle her head. At her movement, the sound around her immediately stopped but she didn't bother to care. She attempted to open her eyes but the light from the sun was too much. It triggered a flare of white pain through her skull and she immediately squeezed them closed again.

Calm hands appeared on either side of her face and a familiar coolness began to seep into her. It flowed through her veins, numbing her body with the pleasant sensation of relief. The pounding lessened immediately to a dull throb. The hands disappeared.

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally awake."

Very slowly, Akina cracked a single eye open. This time, the light was much more manageable and she opened the other. With a grunt of effort, she used her right elbow to prop herself up and take in her surroundings. Immediately, she shrunk back, caught off guard by the people watching her.

Directly in front of her, straddling a chair with his arms resting on the back of it was Yusuke. He was the one who had spoken, his words almost harsh. He had the same look on his face that he had had while they'd eaten dinner before the explosion. It spoke volumes to her, even though he didn't say the words out loud. _I don't know you_, his eyes said. _Therefore, I don't trust you._

Next to him, on his left, was a woman. The wrinkles around her eyes and mouth seemed to be carved into her face. Scraggly locks of hair the color of over-chewed bubblegum tumbled down to her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes were locked on Akina, narrowed only a fraction of an inch. Her arms and legs were folded as she sat on the wooden ground, a cigarette in her mouth, her face expressionless.

Kuwabara sat on the woman's left. He, too, sat with his legs folded. His right elbow was placed on his knee and he rested his chin on his fist. The look on his face was one of curiosity as he regarded her and his eyes were kind—unlike Yusuke's—and even a little apologetic.

The doorway to her left was slid open, allowing the warm autumn sun to flow over her. It was a traditional Japanese style door, made of paper and wood. In the open entrance, though, stood Kurama, leaning against the wooden beam that supported the roof. His arms were folded across his chest and his familiar emerald eyes revealed nothing, leaving his face as blank as the old woman's.

Right next to Akina on her right was Yukina. The Ice Maiden was kneeling over her, hands clenched nervously in her lap. Her worried red eyes were locked onto the cat. She was clearly ready to leap forward at any minute and heal away all of the hurt.

And behind Yukina, in the very back corner of the room, sat Hiei. He leaned against the wall, one leg extended in front of him with the other pulled up to be used as an armrest. Akina's gaze fastened on him for the briefest moment. He stared back at her, but neither said anything. She could not ignore the feeling of relief that swept through her at knowing he was there, mere feet away. It was still such a new idea to her, having Hiei so close after being away from him for so long. Goosebumps rippled up her arms at the thought. She quickly turned her attention back to the detective, hoping no one noticed.

She used her other hand to try and push herself up into a sitting position on her futon on the floor. Immediately a distressed sound came from the healer next to her. "You shouldn't sit up so soon, Akina-san. You lost a lot of blood and—"

Akina ignored her, pushing herself up the rest of the way up. She shifted and winced as pain shot through her leg. Looking under the blanket that covered her, she noticed her thigh was bandaged in clean white linen. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Yukina's hands flutter anxiously. Apparently, she was not allowed to heal the wound completely. Akina glanced up again at Yusuke's distrusting face. A way to keep her from running, perhaps?

"What's going on?" she asked slowly, warily. Something must have happened while she was unconscious. Why else would they be sitting around like this, waiting for her to wake up? Once again, she met the gaze of everyone in the room, trying to read their thoughts and expressions. Why did she suddenly feel she was on trial for her life?

"You tell us," Yusuke said shortly, his glare never wavering.

Akina brought her gaze back to him. As designated spokesperson for the group, it appeared she would be directing all her comments to him. She studied him. When he and the others had first appeared in her cave several weeks ago, he had been so genial and friendly. Even when they brought her into Koenma's a few days ago, he was so nice to her. Never had she felt such animosity rolling off him. What had happened to make him so guarded and untrusting? "I don't know what you mean."

The ex-detective snorted derisively. "Don't feed me that bullshit. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Startled by his hostile words, she glanced around the room once again, looking for some hint about what she should know. Her eyes landed on Hiei, hoping against all odds he might help her or give her a clue, but his own ruby eyes were closed now and he was no help. She turned back. "Seriously, Yusuke. I don't know."

"Are you honestly going to try and say that you don't know anything about the attacks on Human World?"

At that, she bristled and sat up a little straighter. "Are you implying something?"

"Damn straight I'm implying something!" Yusuke snapped, his temper flaring. "You could have gotten us killed! You could have gotten _Keiko_ killed! If I hadn't gotten her out of there in time—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she interrupted, holding up her hand. "You think _I_ had something to do with that explosion?"

Yusuke's glare was one of the deadliest she had ever seen. "For four and a half months, we're sent on a wild goose chase. Random explosions all over the city and hundreds of innocent humans have been dying. We don't know how, we don't know why, and we don't know who. Then we run into you and four days later, the safe-house has been blown up. The location of that safe-house is a secret and no one knows about it but the people in this room, Keiko, Koenma, Botan, and now you. So yeah, I'm saying you had something to do with it!"

Akina gaped at him. Around her, everyone stayed silent and no one moved. Kurama, Hiei, and the mysterious woman all had their eyes closed now. Kuwabara was watching her, his expression unsure and pitying. Yukina was a statue next to her. No one bothered to come to her defense. No one cared to provide an alternate explanation. No one said a word.

Rage swept through her at the unjust implications and the unfair situation. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," she snapped. "Why would I blow up a building while I was still inside?"

"Haven't you ever heard of suicide bombers?" he retorted.

She laughed without humor. "Do I look like a suicide bomber to you? Besides, I'm still alive and kicking, aren't I? If I really am a suicide bomber, I did a pretty crappy job!"

His glower, if possible, darkened. "I can finish the job for you, if you like," he growled.

"Are you _threatening _me? Because if you are, I dare you to try!"

Yusuke stood up and pushed the chair aside. It tottered over with the force and hit the ground with a crash. He crouched down into a fighting position, fists raised before him. "I can take you. After all, you're just a girl."

Akina moved to her knees, the blanket falling off her lap and pooling into a puddle around her. Pain shot through her leg like fire but the need for justice was stronger. Beside her, Yukina began to mutter something about "not healed yet" and "could be dangerous." Kuwabara was staring up at Yusuke in horror. He, too, began to speak. "Urameshi! She's a girl! And she's wounded! You can't fight her! It's not moral!"

"Shut up Kuwabara!" Yusuke and Akina snapped at the same time. Both of their heads whipped to glare at each other as they spoke in unison.

"You're an idiot," she said, slowly getting to her feet. "You're too stupid to think your theory through!" She winced when she put her weight on her injured leg, but quickly shoved it aside. Without a thought, she tried to flick a knife to her wrist. Nothing happened; someone had removed her sheaths.

"You're just saying that because you know I'm onto you! You wanted to kill us all!"

Akina growled, bringing her own fists up. "You are so stupid! Why the hell would I tell you to get Keiko out of the house if I wanted you all dead?" There was no response. The tension in the room began to mount as they eyed each other. Yusuke shifted slightly, clearly gearing up to attack her. He froze, though, when a figure appeared in between the two of them.

"Stop it, detective," Hiei said. He had his back to Akina, his hands in his pockets. "You've provoked her enough."

Yusuke stayed rooted to the spot for a moment before he smirked. He straightened up and folded his arms. "You're only defending her because she's your friend and you know I could kill her."

Akina growled again and lunged forward. Hiei brought his arm up, blocking her path. "Get out of my way, Hiei," she snarled, reaching over his arm as she grabbed for the human. "He's accusing me of shit I didn't do! I'll kill him for it!"

Yusuke continued to stare at her smugly as she struggled against the fire demon. "You're not really helping your point," he noted.

"You watched me beat Hiei! I can sure as hell beat you!" she yelled at him, letting her temper get the best of her. She tried to move past the fire demon but he remained planted firmly in front of her, arm out to stop her. It didn't occur to her in her anger to duck under it or go around.

At her words, though, Hiei scowled over his shoulder. "I let you win, you stupid cat."

It took a moment for the words to infiltrate her haze of rage but when they did, she paused, caught off guard. Her head swiveled to look at him and she blinked at him in surprise. He took her moment of silence to look back to the human. "She's right, detective. She didn't attack the house."

Yusuke's glare was redirected in its full glory toward the fire demon. "You're just saying that because of your history with her. You haven't seen her in over 100 years. People change."

"She didn't do it, Yusuke." This came from Kurama, who spoke for the first time since she'd woken up. Everyone turned to face him. He still remained in his position against the doorframe, his eyes still closed in thought.

"Yeah, and you're just saying that because she's—"

"Shut up and sit down! All of you!"

Everyone jumped and looked down where the voice had come from.

It was the old woman. Her voice was gravelly and old, but held all the authority of a king. Her eyes were open again, and she took a drag from her cigarette. Her expression was calm as she watched the situation before her unfold, but stern. Despite the command, though, nobody moved. Akina and Yusuke stared at each other warily, unwilling to make the first move, unwilling to be the first to back down. As the silence grew, the tension began to build once more, swirling around them like a thick cloud.

After several minutes, Hiei grunted and turned. He put his warm hands on Akina's shoulders. "Sit," he commanded, and pushed hard. The pain in her leg made her drop like a rock as it crumpled beneath her. She hit the ground with an 'oof' and winced. He made his way back to his corner and seated himself gracefully.

Yusuke didn't move for a moment. But, at a look from the woman, he sniffed and plopped down onto the hardwood floor, chair forgotten.

"Dumbasses," the old lady grumbled irritably, exhaling smoke.

Yusuke's looked daggers at the older woman. "Shut up, Genkai, you old hag."

Now that she had been reminded of the woman's presence, Akina studied her. She was extremely old and her energy barely registered on the cat's awareness. Yet in spite of this and in spite of Yusuke's snide remark, it appeared she was the one in charge here. She was the center of the room, the leader of the group, the wisest and the oldest.

The fading pink hair tickled something in the back of her mind, a memory, a story from her wanderings. A comment Yukina made came back to her.

"_I usually live with Genkai,"_ she had said.

Genkai. The name hadn't meant anything to her there, outside the context of Demon World where demons told their young children the bedtime story of the Boogie Man: a young lady demon killer with bright pink hair and a flare for getting what she wanted. The infamous human psychic that haunted the dreams of demons everywhere must be this lady.

This old, decrepit lady.

"Dimwit." Genkai was now scowling at Yusuke. "The cat is right. You are an idiot." The young detective scrunched up his face as he opened his mouth to respond, unwilling to take the insult, but she ignored him. "Why would she tell you to run if she wanted to kill you? And use your brain for once: even _I_ can barely feel her energy."

Akina's expression darkened at the comment but she remained silent, knowing that arguing would only prove their point.

"And what would she have to gain by destroying the safe house?" the woman continued.

"We're the former Spirit Detectives!" Yusuke argued. "All demons want me dead!"

"You sure think highly of yourself," Akina scoffed. "I didn't even know who you were until a few days ago when you took me to Koenma's. Goes to show how important you are."

Before he could lunge for her and cause another scene, Genkai broke in. "We need to know why you are here."

Akina ignored Yusuke's sneer as she frowned. "I don't even know where 'here' is," she said, glancing around. Clearly she wasn't in the city anymore. Behind Kurama in the doorway, she could see a courtyard, surrounded by luscious, green trees. The sky was blue overhead, and birds drifted lazily from cloud to cloud. In the distance, she could hear the sound of running water, trickling as it ran by. There was no sound of traffic or bustling people and screaming children. It was peaceful.

"She means, why are you here in Human World?" Kurama's voice was soft, but left no room for argument, should she have the desire to refuse to answer.

"I came here to find Youko. I told you that." A small, flitting bubble of fear began to rise up within her as she started to realize the seriousness of her situation. She was in an unknown location and had been for who knows how long, surrounded by people who didn't trust her. However, it was immediately replaced with irritation. She had discussed this with them several days ago. There was no reason for her to lie.

"Hiei told us you said you weren't." The reply from Genkai was swift; she had been prepared for her answer.

"No, I told him I was giving up because I realized Youko doesn't want me. Don't twist my words around," she snapped. As she spoke, she threw an accusing look at the afore-mentioned fire demon. Her averted gaze caused her to miss as Kurama flinched before quickly regaining his composure.

She turned back to the old lady. She opened her mouth to speak again, to defend herself, but she hesitated.

There was a way to redeem herself and to explain how there was no possible way she was strong enough to create a blast of demon energy that big. She could explain what had happened 50 years ago… what had happened to leave her with next to no energy and nearly defenseless.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. There was no way she would tell her story to everyone in this room, though. Especially with Hiei there. But who would she tell her story to? Genkai? She may be in charge of the group in this room, but there was still one person who was in charge of them all.

But, if she were to let out her secrets and her horrors to the prince of the Spirit World, it could very well change her life. She could be imprisoned—or even executed—for the things she had done. If she didn't prove her innocence in this situation, however, she would have to run.

She was tired of running.

Kuwabara opened his mouth to speak but he was hushed by Genkai with a wave of a hand. The old woman was staring at her, watching her, waiting to see what she would say. The cat glanced at each face in the room one more time, meeting each expression from blank, to hostile, to kind, to worry. What would she do? Confess and risk punishment? Or stay quiet and risk a fight, possibly death, and most certainly the fact that she would be, once again, on her own?

Her eyes landed on Hiei. Dark red eyes stared back at her, impassive, emotionless, quizzical. Now that she had seen him again, she knew she could not leave him without a fight, even if they were still on rocky ground. She would earn his trust and friendship back, she knew it. But to earn it, she needed the time. She would not get the time by running away.

That decided her. "Give me 30 minutes alone to talk to Koenma. I'll prove to _him_ I was not the one who attacked the house," she finally said, breaking away from Hiei's gaze.

"You really must think we are stupid if you believe we'll leave you alone with old sucker mouth," Yusuke commented.

"What I have to say on the level of your intellect is irrelevant. If I wanted Koenma dead, I could have killed him when you took me to see him several days ago."

"But you didn't because you knew we were there and we would kill you if you tried."

"First I'm a suicide bomber, so intent on killing you I'd risk my life. Now, I'm an assassin, out to kill the leader of the Spirit World while maintaining self-preservation," she remarked, starting to lose her patience.

"I say she can have her time with Koenma, but someone has to go with her," Kuwabara piped up. Heads swiveled to look at him.

Yusuke broke out into a grin. "Well, Kuwabara, finally starting to break in the old noggin!"

"Shut up, Urameshi!"

"Yes, it is a good idea. She could have her time to speak with Koenma, and we could protect him should she prove to be untrustworthy," Kurama said thoughtfully from the doorway. "The question is, who would accompany her?"

"I'll go," Yusuke said promptly. "It obviously isn't going to be Hiei or Kurama."

Obviously? Why would it _obviously_ not be Hiei or Kurama? "I'm not going anywhere with you," she spat viciously. "And I said I wanted to talk to him alone. If I had any desire to for you all to hear what I have to say, I would say it."

"I'll go," Kuwabara said as everyone completely ignored her. She gritted her teeth together in frustration. "I can still protect Koenma."

Yusuke outright laughed, lacing his fingers together behind his head. "No way. You were the one who said we should give her a chance and trust her. She'd probably trick you into walking her right back to Demon World!"

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara jumped to his knees, bringing his fists up. Yusuke stuck out his tongue and snickered, unconcerned.

Before the two humans could get into a fight, Genkai spoke up again. "I'll go." Like before, the authority in her voice was final, leaving no room for argument. For Akina, it seemed condemning. The old woman's brown eyes were now focused on the cat. The knowledge of her years swirled behind them. Recognition was there, too; there was something she knew that she was not telling. But above all was the strength. Though she may be old and nearly powerless, this old woman was not a force to be reckoned with.

"Fine," she conceded grumpily. "Genkai can come, but that's it."

"Good choice," Genkai noted as she got to her feet. "I will take you to see him in the morning. Until then, you will remain here under constant watch. Yukina, stay with her, but do not heal her until after she speaks with Koenma."

The Ice Maiden's fists clenched in her lap, but she nodded. "Of course, Genkai-san."

"Hiei and Kurama, neither of you are to be left alone with her until we know what's going on. Understood?"

Kurama nodded as he straightened up. "Yes, Genkai."

Hiei grunted.

"Good. Glad that's settled. I'm too old for this babysitting nonsense." And with that, she brushed past the red head and exited the room, disappearing from sight around the corner.

Silence fell over the room. There was an awkward shift. Yusuke yawned and got to his feet. "I'm going outside. It's too good of a day to be stuck inside on guard duty." His untrusting brown eyes landed on Akina as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "That doesn't mean I'm not watching you."

Like any mature person would do, Akina stuck her tongue out at him.

He blinked at her, surprised, before snickering. Shaking his head, he made his way out of the room.

There was a beat of silence. "Hiei, might I have a word?" Kurama asked quietly from his place in the doorway. Akina watched as the fire demon got to his feet and moved toward the doorway. He did not look at her as he passed, hands tucked into the mysterious folds of his cloak.

"I'll stay here with Yukina," Kuwabara piped up.

Kurama nodded in response. He glanced into the room once more and met the gaze of the daughter he was not allowed to trust. Her golden eyes stared at him, studying, puzzled, and curious. They did not break eye contact as he slowly slid the door shut. It closed with a condemning thump, sealing away the one person he never wanted to lose sight of again.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

O.

M.

F.

G.

I fail.

Epically.

I am SOOO sorry it took me 2 MONTHS to get an update out. But I have good reasons. I swear I do. Hear me out.

Reason number 1: At the end of August, school started. Holy crap, I have been swamped with homework ever since. I haven't been able to do one enjoyable thing since August 29th. Ah. Kill me now. And, if I get less than a B in any of my classes, I get kicked out of my program. So yeah, doing my homework is a little important to me. The sooner I get done with school, the sooner I can quit my current job.

Reason number 2: I got a promotion at work! Woot woot! I'm now officially a manager at my call center. It does mean more work for me, but it also entails a $5/hour raise and I've been bumped to salary. It also means I don't have to take 8 hours of phone calls a day. Damn straight I'm taking that. I am a poor, starving college student. I'll take whatever money I can get and an excuse not to talk to angry people all day.

Reason number 3: One week after I got my amazing promotion, I had to have surgery to have my gallbladder removed. If any of you have ever had gallstones or have had to have your gallbladder out, you can surely understand what I mean when I say I was in incredible pain. A lady my mom works with says that gallbladder pains are worse than childbirth. Obviously not having children of my own, I don't know if this is true or not. But I can tell you, I am glad that sucker is out of me. And while I was recuperating from having a body organ extracted from my body, I managed to watch the first five seasons of The Cosby Show in a week. That, my friends, is quite a feat. I'd never seen The Cosby Show before that... my mom talked me into watching it with her.

And that is why it has taken me two months to update. Now, I'm not going to promise I will update sooner because quite frankly, I am not sure when I will be able to, between work and school. But I will try my darndest. I promise. Just bear with me. I promise you won't be disappointed.

I'd love to hear from you all! And I do want to say thank you to: Just Wait And See, Kate101, Takara Rose Oizumi, ovenfreshh, k. se7en.L, MyLifeInWhole, CourtneyJo, Flamingmarsh, and Angela! You guys are awesome and thanks for the reviews!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Akina watched the door slide shut with a resounding clunk. She stared at it for a moment before turning to look at her guards. Two pairs of eyes—one red, the other brown—stared back. Aside from the wind rustling through the trees and the sounds of birds outside, there was no noise. The human and the Ice Maiden shared nearly identical expressions of concern, pity, and kindness. Yukina was still twisting her hands nervously in her lap as she kneeled next to the cat, still looking as though she might lunge forward at any moment. Kuwabara sat beside her, legs folded and arms behind him to prop himself up.

Akina shifted, slightly uncomfortable by their lack of communication. "So would one of you like to tell me where I am?" she finally asked after several minutes, looking back and forth between the two.

As though some magical spell had been lifted, the two broke into smiles. "We're sorry, Akina-san. We should have told you before," Yukina said, ducking her head in apology. "When the house exploded, we came to Genkai's Temple."

"And where, exactly, is Genkai's Temple?" the cat responded cautiously, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

Kuwabara scratched his head. "I don't really know where we are… All I know is that we're about 45 minutes away from the nearest town," he answered sheepishly.

Her heart sank. 45 minutes? She didn't have any intention of running, but at least having the option was something she wanted. But what was the point? With her injured leg, she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Not without some help, at least, and not if civilization was that far away.

"How long was I unconscious?" was the next question she posed.

"Almost a day. I was able to heal all the cuts and bruises on your skin, but I was not allowed to heal your leg." Yukina's voice was apologetic as she said this, and her hands clenched again in her lap, but she still smiled politely at the cat.

Akina nodded, but said nothing in response. Her mind was racing. Being backed into a metaphorical corner like she was, her animal instincts were kicking in, searching for every way out in case she needed to run. As she thought, she brought her hand up to her throat absentmindedly. When her fingers did not connect with the cool metal of her necklace, however, she froze. Her fingers flitted around her neck, searching in vain for what was not there.

Panic filled her. That necklace was the only thing she had left of her mother's. If she lost it, she would never be able to forgive herself. On the other hand, if someone took it…

"Where's my necklace?" she asked, trying to rein in her emotions as they teetered between alarm and rage.

Sensing the seriousness of her question, Kuwabara answered, "Genkai will give it back tomorrow after, probably after your meeting with Koenma. She wanted to make sure that it was not some sort of weapon."

Akina scowled but said nothing. They knew it wasn't a weapon. That's why she had been brought to Koenma's attention in the first place—so he could disarm the thing. She gave an internal sigh. Whatever.

"How are you feeling, Akina-san?" Yukina asked, tentatively.

The cat looked down at her leg, wrapped tightly in its bandage. She lifted the edge and peered underneath. Thick, goopy blood pooled below, oozing around a gaping wound. She quickly placed the bandage back down. "I'm okay, all things considered."

"I'm sorry I can't heal it for you," the Ice Maiden said apologetically. Her hands still fluttered in her lap, indicating how much she simply wanted to lean forward and close the wound.

Akina waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I have had worse wounds than this." She paused and let out a giant yawn. "I am very tired, though."

Yukina nodded. "That's understandable. You lost a lot of blood. Why don't you try going to sleep?" When she noticed Akina shifting uncomfortably, she asked, "Do you not want to sleep?"

"I'd love to go to sleep. But would YOU be able to fall asleep with two people staring at you intently and watching your every move?"

Kuwabara and Yukina exchanged glances. "You heard Genkai, Akina. We can't let you out of our sight," the human said, almost regretfully.

"Fine. But that doesn't mean you have to stay in the same room. There's only one entrance to this room. Sit outside the door. Leave it open a crack and check inside every few minutes. But you don't have to STARE at me."

Kuwabara scratched his head again. "I suppose that would be okay…" he said thoughtfully. He seemed to debate with himself for a moment before nodding. He lumbered to his feet, and reached a hand down to help Yukina up. "C'mon, my love. Let's let her get some sleep."

Yukina giggled as she took the offered hand. "Oh, Kazuma. You're so silly sometimes."

Akina watched this exchange with her mouth half open. _My love?_ What the...?

Another yawn came over her and she decided she'd have to think on this new revelation later. Her two guards left the room and slid the door almost closed, leaving it open about 4 or 5 inches. She laid her head down on the pillow and rolled away from the door. It didn't take long for the overwhelming exhaustion to overpower her and her eyes to droop shut with an almost audible thump.

* * *

><p>She sat bolt upright, her hand clamped over her own mouth to muffle the sound of her scream. Sweat poured down her face in rivulets, and her breath came hard through her nose as she tried to regain her composure. The blankets were wrapped around her, almost like a snake wrapping around its prey and squeezing until the final breath was gone. The room was dark; clearly the sun had set. Only her cat vision allowed her to see her surroundings.<p>

Slowly, she pulled her shaking hand away from her face. Her mouth free, she took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down and slow her racing heart.

The nightmare. She had been free from it for so many years. Now it was back.

She gripped the blankets that were still tangled around her and squeezed her eyes shut. Why couldn't she just be left alone?

Images of her horror flashed before her eyelids and her eyes snapped open. Suddenly, the room felt so small. It was like a jail cell, the walls her prison, coming closer and closer… caving in on her… killing her slowly…

Suddenly she had to get out of that room. She lurched forward and shot to her feet. It wasn't until she tried to take a step forward, however, that she remembered the unhealed wound on her leg. It gave way beneath her and she crashed to the floor. Gritting her teeth, she scooted to the door frame and pulled herself to her feet, using the beam as a support. In her haste to get outside, she wrenched the door open, uncaring if she damaged it in some way.

The cool night air flowed into her. Reflexively, she took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh, cool oxygen. As the air left her in a whoosh, she felt the fear leave her body and she sagged with the relief of it. She stepped onto the wooden floor and made her way slowly to the edge, dragging her leg behind her. She made it to the support beam, closed her eyes, and took another deep breath.

"What are you doing?"

A squeak of surprise escaped Akina as she whirled around at the voice. Several feet away, deep in the shadows, a pair of emerald green eyes glittered in the darkness. "Kurama," she breathed. "You scared me to death."

He let out a low chuckle. "My apologies. I thought you saw me."

She shook her head and limped her way a little closer to him. "Are you on guard duty? I thought you weren't allowed to be left alone with me."

"I'm not." He inclined his head, indicating something behind her. In the other direction, a few yards down, lying on his back with his legs outstretched, hands beneath his head, snoring softly, was Yusuke.

Akina blinked at him. How had she missed both Kurama AND Yusuke? She turned back to Kurama. "Picking up the slack, then?"

Kurama chuckled. "No. Don't underestimate Yusuke. He is still very aware of his surroundings, even while sleeping." He spoke as though there was a story behind the comment. She didn't ask for him to elaborate, though, and he didn't offer.

She wobbled in front of him as they talked, trying to keep her balance with her damaged leg. He noticed this and patted the space next to him. "Have a seat. I don't bite." She smiled at him, then dropped to the ground ungracefully. Using her hands, she managed to slide over until she was sitting beside him, leaning against the house.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the chirping of the crickets and the sound of the stream running nearby. At first, she thought that sitting with him would be a little awkward but to her surprise, it wasn't. It was actually very… relaxing. It felt natural. The odd bond that she had felt with this boy was still there and she didn't know why.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly. He stared out at the courtyard in front of them, and into the trees of the mountain beyond.

Akina shrugged. "Oh, you know. Pretty good, I guess, for all that I have a wounded leg and all. Still tired but—"

"No," he said, cutting her off. His green eyes swiveled around until they were peering into her golden ones. "How _are_ you?"

Her head tilted to one side as she observed him. His question seemed to run deeper than just a courtesy question. His gaze never wavered. He seemed genuinely curious. And so, she thought about it. How was she doing? Deep, deep down. The unasked questions in his eyes seemed to pour out of them as she thought about it.

How was she doing, being trapped up on a mountain, far away from civilization? How was she doing, with no one around that seemed to trust her or listen to her? How was she doing, being stuck in Human World, surrounded by humans? How was she doing, having given up on the search for her father, the only thing that had kept her going for so long? How was she doing, trying to rebuild the friendship with the one person she wanted to be close to, but still had a hard time being around her?

How was she doing, being completely and utterly alone?

Without warning, her eyes filled up with tears. "I…" she started. "I don't…" The words she wanted wouldn't seem to come. How did one express their deep, aching loneliness and their feeling that they didn't belong anywhere? She didn't need to answer; she could see from his expression that he understood. But she still couldn't stop the next words that came out of her mouth. "I want to go home," she whispered as the silent tears fell, "but I don't have a home to go to."

Without a word, Kurama wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him without even thinking. Again, it was the most natural feeling in the world. This should be awkward to her—a young human boy she didn't know was holding her and instead of moving away, she was moving closer? What in the world was she doing?

But she didn't care. All she knew was that she needed somebody and he was there for her. The tears started to come faster and she clutched at his shirt, burying her face into his side. His arm around her was strong and warm, a comfort in a time where she felt so isolated.

She sunk down farther until she lay curled in a ball, her head resting on his knee, the silent tears still coming. Kurama's hand hovered over her as he stared at her. Suddenly, _he _was feeling super awkward. He didn't expect her to completely melt down! How was he supposed to handle this situation? Slowly, he placed his hand on her head, and gently stroked her hair, trying to be some sort of comfort. He had no idea what he was doing; he wasn't one for comforting people.

But then, without thought, he continued to stroke her hair, moving stray pieces out of her face. Her eyes closed and soon the tears stopped. It was quiet for a while, the only sound was the sound of Kurama's hand moving over her orange locks. "Why are you so nice to me?" she mumbled after a few minutes.

Kurama didn't answer. He simply continued to hold his daughter and try to be there for her, even if it was in some small, insignificant way. Eventually, her breathing evened out and she was asleep, her eyelashes still glimmering in the light of moon. He stared down at her, wishing he could make things different, wishing he could go back in time. In the dark like this, she looked even more like her mother. Even in his human form, Kurama felt the pain in his heart as his demon side wailed within him, mourning the loss of his mate and the time he could have spent with his daughter.

Oh, what a fool he had been.

* * *

><p>Once again, Akina sat bolt upright. This time, though, was for a different reason. There was somebody watching her, staring at her.<p>

She hated being stared at.

She whipped around so that she was facing the door. In the back of her mind, she dimly recognized that she was back in her room and was unaware of how she got there.

The door was slid open, allowing the sunlight to slide across the floor and warm her room. In the open doorway, legs and arms folded, cigarette perched on her lips, sat Genkai. "Geez," Akina groaned. "Do you really just have to sit there and stare?"

Genkai grunted, but didn't respond. Instead, she said, "Koenma will be here in half an hour."

At that news, Akina looked down at herself. Though her cuts and bruises had been healed by Yukina, her clothes were torn and bloody from the explosion. The bandage on her leg was coated in dried blood. Having been in bed for the past two days had led to a severe case of bed head. And the worst part was: everything she owned had been in the house when it exploded. The only possessions she owned were literally the clothes on her back.

She sighed, realizing that her appearance before the Prince of the Spirit World was going to involve this horrendous new fashion of hers. "Does someone at least have a brush I can borrow?"

The old lady smirked, then clambered to her feet with the grace of someone much younger. She gestured to a pile just inside the door. "Yukina left these for you. She is roughly your size. You may take a bath—" she pointed to her left, "—down that way."

Akina nodded. "Um… Where's everyone else?"

"I sent them all to the beach for the day. You and I are the only ones here."

She nodded again, this time with relief. There would be no one around to potentially overhear what she had to say. "Thank you, Genkai." She received a grunt in response before the old lady walked away.

Almost exactly 30 minutes later, Akina was dressed in Yukina's traditional ice blue kimono. She had pulled up her freshly washed hair into a bun on the back of her head and kept it in place with a pair of plastic chopsticks found in the kitchen. Now, she stood awkwardly outside, unsure of where she should go.

Thankfully, footsteps sounded behind her. She turned and came face-to-face with not only Genkai, but a young man as well. And judging by the "Jr." tattooed on his forehead and the pacifier in his mouth, it could be none other than Koenma.

"Koenma, sir," she said, bowing slightly. With what lie ahead, she knew that showing as much respect as she could now, might just help her later.

"Akina," he acknowledged with a slight incline of his head. He turned to face Genkai. "Let's get this over with."

The old woman walked ahead, hands behind her back, as she guided them to another room. She slid the door open to reveal a table with a tea set on it. Akina limped behind them. Koenma sauntered in and promptly dropped to the floor, sweeping his long clothes out of the way. He made himself comfortable on his cushion, then gestured to the two women to have a seat.

Akina resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at him. He comes into Genkai's home and invites her to sit down in her own home? Being a prince must really have its perks. Quietly, she sat on the cushion to his left, folding her legs in front of her as best she could with the wound. Genkai sat across from her on Koenma's right. Being the polite hostess she was, she lifted the tea kettle and poured each of them a cup.

The Prince quietly thanked the old woman and took a small sip. "So Akina. Genkai tells me you would like to speak with me." There was no small talk here. Straight to business, as usual. He put his cup back on his saucer before folding his arms and looking up at her curiously.

The neko ducked her head in a nod of confirmation. "Yes, sir." Without another word, the Ruler waved his hand in a gesture that clearly stated, "Proceed."

And so, she took a deep breath, ignored her shaking hands, and began to tell her tale, starting from the day she left Hiei.

* * *

><p>There was a long, long pause. The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall.<p>

The Prince's eyes were locked on Akina. His expression had turned from curious to hard and emotionless. Genkai sat unmoving, her arms folded and her eyes closed. Both of their tea cups were empty. Neither of them had said a word.

Akina fidgeted under his gaze, but said nothing. Having lain out her life so plainly before another being was uncomfortable. She felt exposed and vulnerable. What he said next could change the destiny of her life.

No, it _would_ change her destiny. Life as she knew it was over.

"You do realize the gravity of what you've just told me, don't you?" There was no indication in the tone of his voice as to what he was thinking.

With a start, Akina realized her whole body was now shaking. Oh yes, she knew the gravity of what she had said. It took all she had to quietly mumble, "Yes, sir, I do."

He continued to study her intently. Aside from the few times he had reached forward to sip his tea, he had not moved the entire time she spoke. The binky in his mouth was momentarily frozen – there were no furious sucking sounds. Akina found this fact alone to be very ominous.

"You understand I could execute you for the things you have told me."

Trembling, she nodded.

"I could lock you in Spirit World Prison for the rest of your life."

Again, she gave the smallest nod.

There was another silence, this one even heavier than the last. It didn't last nearly as long, though. "I have a predicament," he stated, moving for the first time to place his hands on the table in front of him. "My father, King Enma, is upset with me for asking for Yusuke's help behind his back. He is demanding I have a Spirit Detective, but will not allow me to use the one who has served me so well. He is threatening to disown me."

Of all the things that Akina expected the Ruler of the Spirit World to say, this was definitely not one of them. She remained silent, but only because she had no idea where he was going with this.

"The crimes you have committed are some of the severest I have ever heard before," he stated bluntly. His eyes were still so hard, cold, and unreadable. She couldn't bear to look into them anymore – her eyelids slid shut. "As I have said, I could execute you or imprison you. However, because you have come to me to tell me this of your own free will, I will look at this as though you have turned yourself in."

There was a pause. Slowly, she opened one eye to peek at him.

"This means I am more inclined to a lesser punishment. From this point on, I am putting you on probation. You will be my new Spirit Detective indefinitely. Assuming you agree to my terms, of course."

Akina's other eye opened. Her mouth fell open slightly. She blinked. She stared. She gaped.

She had no idea what to say.

He seemed to be waiting for some sort of response, though, because he simply continued to look at her expectantly. She swallowed, trying to wrap her head around what just happened and find something to say. "I… well… I don't…" She cleared her throat. "What terms?" Her voice was hoarse.

"You will be available at any time of the day or night to accept a mission from me. You will accept any mission I present to you, no matter what it is. You will work with Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei, but only if they wish to assist, since they are no longer under any obligation to me. You will report to me once a week, even if I have not given you any missions to complete. You will wear a tracking anklet at all times so that I will always know where you are. In short, you will assist me in any way I see fit."

Genkai opened her eyes and looked up at the cat. Akina fidgeted slightly and asked, "And if I don't agree to those terms?"

Koenma's gaze was steady. "Then I will execute you immediately."

Her stomach dropped. "It sounds like an obvious choice, then, doesn't it?" she said weakly.

He gave a soft grunt and shifted on his cushion. "Yes, it does."

"Why not execute me? Why even bother with this?" she asked.

He looked down at his empty tea cup. One long index finger began to trace the rim. "You have certain… skills that I think will come in handy. Spy, assassin, thief. I can use these to my advantage. I do try to avoid assassinating people, and I would prefer you to do the same." He looked up at her. "However, to be a successful assassin, as you clearly once were from the stories you just told me, you must be good at being covert, discreet, willing to commit to an action, able to move without being caught, blend in with your surroundings. These are some of the types of qualities that I need. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Good. Now, you are—"

"I don't want Hiei and the others to know." The words came out in a burst before she could stop herself.

It was Koenma's turn to blink. "Excuse me?"

She blushed, embarrassed that she had interrupted him, but continued. "I don't want the others to know that I am working for you."

Akina watched as his mouth curved into a frown behind the pacifier. "And why not?"

"I don't want them to know who I used to be. I don't want them to judge me or hate me. If they know I am working for you, they will ask questions. I am trying to rebuild bridges. I don't want to destroy them before I even get started."

Koenma pondered this for a minute. Did it really matter if they knew or not? "Fine. What will you tell them is your reason is for staying here?"

"I want to make things right with Hiei." This was the truth. It didn't matter what happened to her, as long as she could stay near him. "If a mission comes up, I can volunteer to help them with a situation. You can tell King Enma your new Detective is handling the situation, but then you can present it to Yusuke as though he is still in charge."

Koenma frowned, unsure. It sounded more complicated. But then, what did it really matter? He had no intentions of abandoning Yusuke or of no longer asking him for help. He would get what he needed to appease his father – a Detective that was committed to helping him or suffer the alternative. He nodded. "I suppose that could work. Now,—"

"I don't want a tracking anklet either. They will see it and they will know what is going on."

At this, the Prince's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That is not open to negotiation."

"I won't run, I promise," she added quickly. As he opened his mouth to argue, she continued on. "I have nowhere to go, Koenma. The most important person in my life is here. I am trying to fix the damage I have done. I have no intention of going anywhere. Please. I know I don't deserve it at all, but please trust me. And, as you mentioned, you are giving me my life. If I run, I am giving you the right to kill me on sight. I want to be here. Please." She realized she was begging, but she didn't care. The old Akina would have rather died before resorting to pleading but that wasn't her anymore. She couldn't bear the thought of those boys – especially Hiei – finding out that she was Koenma's new lackey. He would tell her she was disgraceful. He'd ask why and she wouldn't have a good excuse.

"What if he leaves?"

She froze. "What?"

"Hiei. What if he leaves? Hypothetically, of course. He's past his probationary period. He is here of his own free will. I can't keep him here." It was very clear by the look on his face that what she said next would determine whether or not he allowed this deal to continue forward. "What if he decides to leave?"

So Hiei wasn't on probation. What was he doing in Human World with a group full of humans? That wasn't like him. Why would Kurama tell her that he was here on probation? She pushed these thoughts away and focused on the situation at hand. She swallowed again, hard. "I will stay. If he leaves, then I will accept a tracking anklet so you can keep an eye on me and I will stay here. Alone."

"You won't follow him?"

Her stomach turned as she realized the commitment she was about to make. Making said commitment was the only way she could buy herself the time she needed to fix things. If he did leave, hopefully their relationship would be to a point where it wouldn't matter, he would wait for her to serve her sentence.

But then, what if it wasn't?

"What if I went with him? I could still be your Detective and—"

He didn't even let her finish her sentence. His tone was hard. "Would. You. Follow. Him?"

Even though it was a hypothetical situation, she wanted to cry at the thought of Hiei leaving her, and she unable to follow. Her voice was barely audible when she answered. "No."

"Pardon?"

"No. I wouldn't follow him," she repeated, louder.

It was silent for a long, long time as he watched her. She could see the battle behind his eyes – should he trust her? Finally, his expression relaxed and he spoke.

"Okay. I think we have a deal. No anklet. Do not betray my trust. I will not be forgiving." The knot in her stomach loosened minutely. "Now, as I was trying to say, you are hardly useful to me in the state you are in. You will need to be retrained." At this, Akina perked up. "Genkai and the boys will take care of this, starting immediately." She nodded. Genkai let out a soft grunt of acknowledgement and closed her eyes again.

"I know it's not really my place and I don't deserve it, but could I ask for a favor?" Koenma gestured for her to continue. "Could you find Kagami for me? I don't have the resources to do it myself. I want her to know I am alive."

"Very well. I can see what I can do." In one swift move, he was on his feet. Genkai was up beside him a second later, hands behind her back.

Akina clambered to her feet, trying not to wince as pain shot through her wounded leg. "And also, I'm not really a 'Spirit' Detective, if you know what I mean…"

"Yes, well, the name is more of a formality. If you can think of a better one, I'm all ears." He shoved his hands into his pockets, then fixed her with his intense gaze. "Don't make me regret my decision, Akina."

"I won't, sir. You have my word."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Yukina, you're an angel," Akina gushed.

The Ice Maiden giggled, but didn't look up from what she was doing. "Thank you, Akina-san."

"No really. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? If it did, I'm sure you could use your amazing powers to heal yourself because you are that amazing."

The coolness seeped into the cat's leg, then spread through her like a wildfire. It traced every inch of her veins, dancing to her fingertips and toes, floated up to her scalp, and spiraled down her spine. The yawning wound in her leg slowly sealed itself together before her eyes as Yukina continued to work.

Yukina giggled again. "Oh, Akina, you're so silly." The smile slipped from her face as she concentrated. The energy continued to flow from her fingertips, gently tracing the disappearing hole. She closed her eyes and gave one final burst of energy. The hole in Akina's leg vanished completely. Satisfied, Yukina opened her eyes and sat back, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

Her patient poked the newly healed leg as she examined the fresh, soft layer of skin that hadn't been there moments before. Without warning, Akina jumped to her feet and started to hop on her previously injured limb. There was no pain at all. In fact, if she didn't know any better, she would say she had never been hurt in the first place.

She dropped to her knees in front of Yukina and took her hand. With starry eyes, she gazed at her and cooed, "Marry me," in reference the silly human tradition that she had learned about upon her arrival to Living World.

The healer laughed. "I am glad you are feeling better, Akina-san. I was quite worried about you. The infection was beginning to spread."

Akina let go of her hand and sat back on her heels. "Oh, I would have been fine," she said, waving her hand. "They wouldn't have let me die." Neither one of them commented on the fact that she didn't sound 100% sure about that.

The door to the room they were in slid open with a soft thud. In the doorway was Genkai, her feet apart and hands behind her back. As usual, her face was expressionless, revealing nothing of what she could possibly be thinking.

She stood there for a minute without moving or saying a word. The Ice Maiden and the cat stared back at her, unsure of what was happening. Finally, one wrinkled and withered old hand reached toward them. Dangling from her grasp was a silver necklace with a small butterfly at the bottom. It swung back and forth like a pendulum, and then slowed to a stop.

Cautiously, Akina reached out to take it. Genkai dropped it into her opened palm, still without a word. "Thank you," Akina said softly. She brought it back to her and momentarily held it against herself. A knot she was unaware of loosened in her chest and she was able to breathe a little bit easier. She slid the chain around her neck and slipped the pendant under the collar of the kimono she was still wearing. The metal was cool against her skin, a blissful reassurance that her most prized possession really was back with her. She would have been devastated if she had never seen it again.

Her golden eyes slid back up to meet Genkai's dull pink ones. "Courtyard. 15 minutes. We'll begin your training then," she commanded, her voice gravelly. Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and began to walk away, her hands clasped once again behind her back.

Yukina and Akina exchanged glances. "Um… Yukina? Do you have some clothes I can borrow? I don't think this outfit is going to work for that…"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yukina jumped to her feet. "Of course!" She held a hand out to her friend. "Come with me."

* * *

><p>14 minutes and 57 seconds later, after having picked through Yukina's assortment of clothing, Akina came skidding to a stop in the courtyard at the front of Genkai's temple. She wore a pair of gray shorts and a form-fitting black t-shirt, along with a pair of white tennis shoes. "I'm here!"<p>

Standing in the open area were the four boys and the old lady. They were standing in a circle, clearly deep in the middle of a discussion. When she arrived, however, their voices cut off abruptly and they turned to look at her. She grinned sheepishly, but said nothing more.

"Right then. We will meet in the clearing approximately 3 miles south east of here." Genkai's eyes locked onto Akina, but she spoke to the group. "You have 4 minutes."

There was a pause. Yusuke yawned, Kuwbara rolled up his sleeves, Kurama unfolded his arms, and Hiei stood absolutely still, hands tucked into his cloak. None of them seemed intimidated that Genkai told them they had to run less than a 75-second-mile. But then, none of them was being tested like she was.

"Go."

Before Akina could even process the word, Hiei was gone from sight, and Yusuke, Kurama and Genkai were already disappearing into the distance, with Kuwabara trailing at a human pace behind them. She blinked once and took off like a gunshot.

It had been a long time since she had pushed herself to run that hard and fast. Her legs were on fire, flames shooting up her sides before she had even reached the first mile. Even worse, she knew she was going too slow. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself even faster. Her feet pounded the ground hard, connecting solidly each time they hit. At the same time, however, they seemed to be floating as they moved at speeds most humans could not comprehend. Leaves whirled around her as she zipped past, but she was long gone before they had settled once more on the ground. If she had a physical heart, it would be close to bursting from the work she was forcing it to do.

When she burst into the clearing, everyone but Kuwbara – whom she had passed way back—was standing, watching for her to enter. She slid to a stop before them once more, her breath coming in sharp, jagged gasps. To her embarrassment, she even had to put her hands on her knees and take big gulps of air. The others didn't even seem fazed – they look as if they could have been taking a leisurely stroll in the park.

"7 minutes, 28 seconds," came Genkai's voice from her left. Though it was completely matter-of-fact and didn't seem to hold any judgment, Akina couldn't help but cringe. She straightened up slowly, afraid to look at the others, but knowing she had to do it eventually.

As she uncurled her body from her hunched over position, her gaze flickered to Hiei.

He was studying her intently.

There was the smallest frown on his lips, as though he was confused. When he saw her looking at him, however, it slipped off his face and his eyes darted away.

Embarrassment and shame washed over her like a tidal wave. Of course he was confused. When he had known her before, she could have run to the clearing and back to the temple in less than the allotted time. Now she took almost double the time to run it once. He must have thought she was a pathetic loser.

"Your training will begin now," Genkai said, slipping her pocket watch into her pocket and placing her hands behind her back. Nothing more was said about the atrocious amount of time it took to the clearing. No one needed to – she had learned her lesson. "I have briefed Yusuke and the others of your situation." Akina resisted the urge to flinch. Exactly how much did Genkai tell them?

Before Akina could comment, there was a rustling in the trees behind her. As though the forest was spitting him out, Kuwabara came staggering into the field, breathing just as hard as she had been. Once he saw the group, he promptly fell to the ground, gasping for air as though he had been drowning moments before. Upon seeing this, Yusuke sighed and Kurama shook his head, but no one said anything.

The old psychic reached back into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette and a packet of matches. They watched as she struck a match and held it to the end of the stick in her mouth. None of the boys had said a word up 'til this point, clearly letting Genkai take the lead.

Genkai jumped into the air and landed on the side of the field. She sat on the ground, legs and arms folded, cigarette hanging from between her lips and looking as though it would fall out any moment. And then, nonchalantly, as though they hadn't been in the middle of a conversation just seconds before, she said a single word. "Yusuke."

Before Akina could make sense of what was happening, before she could grasp what Genkai said or what it could possible mean, stars erupted before her eyes and her feet left the ground. She had the absurd realization she was flying – the wind was all around her, including beneath her. It wrapped around her body and she sliced through the air like a dart heading toward a dartboard. Until she hit the ground. Hard.

She lay on her back, arms and legs sprawled out at her sides. It took a moment to realize she was looking at the sky. Her lungs had stopped moving at the contact. And then, suddenly, before she could do anything, see anything, hear anything, feel anything, Yusuke's face was in her line of sight.

No. That was wrong. His _fist _was in her line of sight.

Eyes wide, she sucked in a mouthful of air and rolled out of the way just as his knuckles connected with the ground. There was a thud of silence and then the ground began to crack and rumble under the force of it. She scrambled to her feet, realizing that the ground beneath her was going to give out.

Using everything she had, she leaped into the air, landing several meters away from the former Spirit Detective. He kept his fist in the ground, the force of his punch burying his hand deeper and deeper. Rocks and dirt flew up around him in an eruption of earth. He stayed there for only two or three seconds before using his legs to push off from the ground and jump away from the miniature crater he had made.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Hiei and Kurama had moved off the field to stand next to where Genkai sat. Kuwabara had regained enough of his energy to walk over and sit down next to her. The four of them watched intently, none of them saying a word about what was transpiring before them.

Blood was filling her mouth from the first blitz attack, the taste metallic and salty. Making a face, she spit the liquid on the ground and wiped her chin. The left side of her face felt as though it was on fire. He had quite the right hook. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Quickly, she put the pieces together: Genkai was testing her – she had Yusuke attack her to see how she would react. While she had been distracted watching Genkai, he had leaped forward and punched her square in the jaw with enough force to send her flying.

Finally feeling as though she had some control of the situation and knew what was happening, she raised her fists before her and ducked into a fighting stance without saying a word. Yusuke smirked, still standing several yards away from her.

And then he disappeared.

She whirled around and locked onto him, just as his fist was, once again, coming straight for her face. She dropped.

His fist stopped mid-punch, right where her head had been moments before. She heard the trees rustle behind her from the aftershock of his punch. Then, without even looking down at her, his leg swung around, coming right for her once again.

From her crouching position, she pushed off the ground and rolled backwards, just out of reach of his leg.

His leg stopped mid-swing.

Akina stared at him. He was good. He was strong, that was certain – her throbbing jaw could attest to that. And his speed was incredible. But not only that, the control he had… To be able to throw his weight into a punch and a kick, then stop each one halfway through was more than impressive. It was definitely time for her to step up her game.

But she couldn't.

Not since "the incident."

Oh well. It didn't mean she couldn't try.

The former Spirit Detective stood in front of her, both legs once again on the ground, arms at his sides. Now he watched her, waiting. Gritting her teeth, she launched herself at him, trying not to give him any time to make a move before she could. With everything she had, she pulled back her fist and sunk it into his stomach.

He made a soft grunting noise and staggered back a little, but quickly straightened back up. An eyebrow went up, as if to say, _Really? That's all you've got?_

Frustrated, she threw herself at him again, raining down punches. To her irritation, he didn't even bother to defend himself. Punch after punch landed on his arms, head, stomach, and chest. His head whipped back and forth as she bore down on him – the only indication she was having any effect on him. But he did nothing to stop her.

And then she caught the look in his eyes.

He was enjoying himself.

As quickly as she had started her attack, she jumped backward, landing several feet away. She crouched down, ready to fight, run, defend, whatever she needed to do. Clearly her line of attack was not working.

A wad of his bloody spit hit the ground with a watery splat and his brown eyes turned to look at her. He grinned. "That's it? Seriously? You're kidding, right? I thought you said you could kick the crap out of me."

Her eyes narrowed. Oh, more than anything in the world, she wanted to hurt him. She wanted to smack that cocky smirk off his stupid face.

But, once again, before Akina could make a move, both of his hands came up. His right hand made half a fist, with his index finger pointed at her, his thumb straight in the air. His other hand held his curled fingers, as if supporting that hand. It looked as though he was pointing a gun at her and bracing himself for the kickback.

There was a beat of quiet.

Then the air seemed to grow thick around them. There was a faint pulse and she could almost taste the building of energy. It came from within the boy in front of her, rising and rising until it overwhelmed her senses. His eyes were focused intently on her and the smallest grin came to his lips.

Never would she have fathomed the amount of energy this boy had within him. She felt her blood run cold knowing that, as weak as she currently was, she would never be able to outrun a blast such as the one that was collecting at his fingertip.

Quickly, she forced her own energy outside of her body, forcing herself to form a physical shield in front of her. It flickered, but stayed mostly intact. She gulped.

It had only been a few seconds since she had rolled away from his kick but it already felt like an eternity. And then, with that half smirk on his face, he stated simply, "Spirit Gun."

The light that came from his finger was brighter than anything she could have imagined. And worse yet, it continued to grow, larger and larger. The air crackled and popped around it. If she was the earth, then this ball of energy was her sun. It was coming straight for her.

She was dead, she knew it.

She couldn't move fast enough to run, her defensive shield was barely holding, and she had no energy ball of her own to use to combat it. So, knowing she had no other option, she did the unthinkable – she ran straight at it.

On the other side of the ball, Yusuke's eyes widened. At the last second, Akina dropped, sliding underneath the sphere. It sailed over her, sizzling the air above her. She flinched as she felt it graze her arm, burning her skin.

Her momentum caused her to slide on the ground and before he could understand what was happening, she was standing right before him. Now thoroughly freaked out, pissed off, and afraid for her life, she wound up her arm, sending as much of her energy as she could into her fist. Red, hissing energy flared around her clenched fingers and, with everything she had, she punched him one more time, right in the nose.

This time, the fighter was thrown off his feet. He flew through the air, sailing above the ground. She wasn't sure how far he was going to go, and was slightly disappointed when a tree several yards away stopped him from going any farther. He hit the trunk and slid to the ground.

She blinked in surprise – she hadn't expected THAT to happen…

Yusuke grunted and rubbed the back of his head where it had connected with the tree. Blood gushed from his nose, but he seemed rather unconcerned about it.

"Well. That was fun."

Akina jumped and whirled around. She had forgotten there was anyone there. Genkai, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei were all there, watching as she had fought one of the most embarrassing fights she had ever had. Her eyes landed on Hiei, and once again she felt the shame course through her as she thought about what he must be thinking. He stared back, unblinking and unreadable. Unable to look at him anymore, she tore her eyes away and looked back to Genkai, who picked up speaking where she had left off, as though she and Yusuke hadn't just fought, and without even commenting on what just transpired before her. It was as though their conversation in the clearing had never been interrupted.

"As I mentioned, your training has begun. Each of us will train you on something different. Kuwabara will work with you on hand-to-hand combat, Kurama will assist you with plants, since you mentioned to me earlier with Koenma that you use them. Hiei will help you with a blade, Yusuke will help you concentrate on focusing your energy to a specific point, and I will take care of everything else. As this should simply be a refresher course for you, I expect you to be knowledgeable and up to working condition in less than a month."

"A month?" she squeaked in reply. It had taken her years to achieve the level of power that she had had before. A month meant she was going to be working HARD.

"Got a problem with that?" Genkai snapped. Akina quickly shook her head.

The old psychic grunted. "We start tomorrow." And with that, she turned and began walking into the forest, her hands behind her back.

"Well isn't she a peach," Akina muttered, watching as she disappeared from sight.

"Genkai is a little rough around the edges, but she has a very good spirit," Kurama noted from the side. He stood straight, arms folded, deep emerald eyes studying her. He always seemed to be studying her. She wished she knew him better to know what in the world he was thinking about.

"She's a crazy old bat, is what she is," Yusuke said, his voice right behind Akina. She jumped, startled – she hadn't heard him come up behind her. He walked around to stand next to Kuwabara.

"Gross! Urameshi! Your nose is crooked!" Kuwabara shrieked, pointing at his best friend's face.

Yusuke went cross-eyed as he tried to stare at his nose. "Oh yeah! It is! Cool!" Then, he reached up with both hands, placed them gingerly on his nose, and, with a loud, sickening crunch, shoved his nose back into the right place. He looked back up at Akina and grinned. She made a face when she saw blood in his teeth. "That last hit was a doozy. I wasn't expecting it." He clapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh what, so we're _buddies_ now?" she asked sardonically. She folded her arms and fixed him with a scathing glare – or as much of a scathing glare she could muster with her own mouthful of blood dribbling down her chin.

Yusuke shrugged, completely relaxed. "Koenma says you're legit, but I don't care about what a grown man who sucks on a pacifier thinks. But Genkai says you're okay and it's hard to trick her. Trust me, I've tried. So if she says you're good, I can deal with it."

Akina muttered something incoherent under her breath, but said nothing out loud.

At this point, Kuwabara decided he had something to say. "Urameshi! I can't believe you used that much energy with your Spirit Gun! She's a girl! You can't do that to a girl!"

"The hell I can't!" Yusuke said, whirling to face his friend.

"She's a girl!"

"So?"

"But she's a girl! You have to have a sense of honor!"

"I do have a sense of honor – it keeps me from pounding in your face all the time!"

"Urameshi!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Akina noticed movement. Leaving the two boys to their argument, she turned to look and saw the edge of Hiei's cloak disappearing into the trees. Her heart sank as she watched him leave.

Kurama noticed the expression on her face. "Don't worry about him," he said quietly. "He'll come around."

She looked at him miserably. "I hope so." Then, pushing the fire demon from her mind – there was no sense in worrying about him now – she focused on the red-head in front of her. "You deal with plants?" she asked, thinking about what Genkai said.

The boy in front of her shifted slightly but nodded. "As Genkai said, that will be the area in which I will assist you."

Akina didn't say anything in reply. Instead, she took this bit of information and logged it in the back of her mind, along with some other bits that were mingling and working together to form a thought. Most likely an impossible thought, but a thought nonetheless.

"Are you coming to the party this evening?" he asked her, changing the subject.

Akina looked up at him and gave a small frown. "What party?"

"It's Keiko's birthday," Yusuke piped up. Kuwbara let out a pained yowl from his spot on the ground where Yusuke had dumped him in their brief tussle. "We're taking an evening off to celebrate. We didn't invite you because, you know… we thought you were the bad guy. But it's all good now, so you can come if you want to."

"Thanks for that heartfelt invitation," she said dryly, folding her arms. Then, "I'll be there."

* * *

><p>Strings of lights were strung from one end of the courtyard to the other, crisscrossing in a pattern that made it seem as if the air above was full of twinkling diamonds. Paper lanterns hung from the crossing points of the light strings, hanging low and illuminating the night with an ethereal glow. Soft music was playing on a radio next to the doors of the temple, mingling with the relaxed voices and light laughter of the small group of people.<p>

Akina stepped into the courtyard and took in her surroundings. Keiko, Yukina, and another woman Akina had not met were chatting together. Keiko's eyes sparkled as she threw her head back and laughed at something the mystery woman said. Yusuke and Kuwabara were at the side of the square, standing next to a table. On this table sat a large, round cake – decorated with the words "Happy Birthday Keiko!" –amidst the middle of cookies, donuts, and an assortment of sugary goods. The two boys were eying the treats with mischievous eyes, but they kept their hands to themselves as they, too, talked between themselves.

Akina stared at the scene before her, feeling very much like an outsider. She looked down at the kimono she was wearing. Yukina, in her kindness, let her borrow this one as well. This one was a dark green silk, with a pattern of large, bursting flowers, and was tied with a light green obi. Her neon orange hair was pulled up once again to a bun, this time almost on top of her head, and held in place with a pair of chopsticks.

While she was used to the formality of her attire, something was making her skin crawl. She wanted to be dressed in her comfortable pants and a t-shirt. She wanted to be ready to move. Something was going to happen. Something wasn't quite… right.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed the feeling aside, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She was being paranoid. Too many years spent alone, undercover, hiding, and lonely. She just wasn't used to this sort of thing. It would be okay. She could do this. These were nice people. Nodding slightly to herself, she opened her eyes.

"You look beautiful."

She let out a small squeak and jumped. Hand flying to her chest, she whipped around. Kurama was standing to her right, staring at her.

"Oh, Kurama," she breathed. "You scared me."

His eyes – usually so hidden – sparkled and a smile came to his lips. "I apologize. I didn't mean to."

She stared at him. Never before had she seen this look on his face. It was… She didn't know what it was. Joy? Peace? Excitement? Exhilaration? Contentment? It consumed his entire being, lifting his whole frame and making him appear as if he was about to float into the sky. It was quite a contrast to his normal countenance; usually he appeared as though the world was weighing so heavily on his shoulders that he couldn't bear the burden of it anymore. Tonight, though, he looked buoyant.

"Don't worry about it," she mumbled, mesmerized by the change in him.

The two of them stared at each other. Just as she had noticed several times in the days before, he seemed to be soaking up as much of her as he could, drinking in the sight of her like he couldn't get enough of her. "Beautiful…" he muttered, his voice so quiet she almost didn't hear him. And then, as if in a trance, his hand began to reach out toward her. His eyes were boring into her and he moved as if he was going to cup her cheek. Startled, she froze.

He noticed her stiffen and his hand dropped quickly. Blinking as though he was coming back to reality, he turned his attention to the rest of the group in the open space and slipped both hands into his pockets. "Have you had a chance to meet Shizuru?" he asked abruptly, changing the subject.

Akina blinked at him. He was back to his old self – guarded and unemotional. What in the world just happened? Shaking her head in an effort to clear it, she followed his gaze and studied the new woman once more. She had shoulder-length brown hair and familiar brown eyes. A cigarette hung on her lips and she smiled contentedly as she listened to the human and Ice Maiden talk. She seemed older than the rest of the group.

"Not yet," she replied. "Who is she?"

"Kuwabara's older sister." His response was abrupt and to the point. He didn't look at her.

"Huh. I had no idea he had an older sister. Interesting. I'll have to talk to her." A silence fell between them. They watched as Yusuke and Kuwabara walked over to join in the conversation with the girls.

Akina looked around the courtyard, suddenly feeling slightly awkward with Kurama. He seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else, but was bound by the rules of social etiquette to stay with her for a moment longer.

Her golden eyes landed on the side of the temple, several yards away. Tucked into the edge of the shadows, just where the glow of the lights couldn't reach, sat Hiei. He sat on the porch, leaning against the pillar, one leg outstretched, the other up as an armrest. She was learning that this seemed to be his customary position. His ruby eyes glittered in the darkness.

"I'm going to go talk to Hiei for a minute," she said softly, glancing at Kurama. The red head looked over to where his best friend was sitting and nodded before walking over to join the others. She walked around the edge of the party, melting into the shadows just as the fire demon had done. The music in the background fell even quieter from this distance. No one noticed she had disappeared. "Can I sit here?" she asked, once she had reached him.

His vermillion eyes flickered up to her, then back to the scene in front of him. He said nothing, but gave a soft grunt. She sat down on the wooden platform a foot or so away from him, letting her feet dangle over the edge, her hands resting in her lap.

They sat in silence. Then, "You're not much of a partier, are you?"

She received another grunt in response. It fell quiet once more. In front of them, Yusuke suddenly turned to face his girlfriend. He held his hand out to her, his lips forming words they couldn't hear from their distance. They saw – rather than heard – her giggle as she took his offered hand. He held her hand tightly and guided her into the middle of the square. She wrapped her hands loosely around his neck, he placed his hands on her waist, and they swayed back and forth to the sound of the music. Neither of them said a word but the way they stared at each other spoke louder and with more meaning than if they had been speaking.

"Why are you still here?" Akina asked suddenly, not taking her eyes off the two humans in front of her. "With a group full of half-demons and humans? Kurama told me you were on probation. But Koenma told me you had fulfilled your time." She looked over at him just in time to see his expression darken, but he said nothing. He just watched the party before him, scowling.

There was a faint squeal and Akina turned to see Kuwabara pulling Yukina out into the square next to Yusuke and Keiko. Her face was bright and she laughed heartily as the human pulled her toward him and they, too, began to dance.

And then, it dawned on her, hitting her like a ton of bricks. "You're here because you want to be," she whispered quietly, almost to herself, as she watched Shizuru drag a reluctant Kurama onto the impromptu dance floor. She felt stupid for not realizing it sooner.

"What did you say?" he growled, turning to look at her for the first time.

She ignored his tone. "You're here because they make you happy, because they're your…" She trailed off as she watched them. Their smiles, their laughter, their acceptance of each other. "…family. You love them."

He scoffed and turned to watch them again. "You don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh really?" She brought her gaze back to him. "Then why are you here?"

There was only a half-second's hesitation before he stated, "Yukina."

It was Akina's turn to scoff. "You are not here for Yukina. She lives in Demon World and, from what I understand, her trips to Living World are sporadic. And when she does visit, only occasionally did she stay at the safe-house. It sounds like she stays here with Genkai. She still has no clue who you are, so why would she be inclined to be around you more than is socially acceptable for acquaintances? You could see her more often if you moved back to Demon World and bumped into her on the street." She looked back at the group. "You love her, definitely. And seeing her is part of the reason you are here, for sure. But that's not why you stay. That's not why you live here."

There was no response, but he didn't need to give one.

"You love them," she repeated, still not looking at him. "They're…"

Me.

She didn't say the word, but she thought it.

The feeling of sadness that came from this revelation startled her, but it shouldn't have. This misfit group had become a part of Hiei, so deep that he stayed with them. Like she said, they were his family. Just like she once was. This group was her replacement.

It made sense, though. It wasn't like she expected Hiei to remain alone for the last 120 years, pining over his loss. Being alone was hard – she could testify to that – and it made all the sense in the world that he would find others to be with. The feelings of camaraderie he shared with them – while different from what she had had with him – gave him the feeling of belonging.

For what seemed like the billionth time in her life, a sense of crushing despair came over her. How could she make things right with Hiei? He barely looked at her and when he did, he seemed to be… Well, she didn't know what, but it was a mix between disbelief, judging her, hating her, and soaking in as much of her as he could. He kept himself distant and conversation between them was tense.

She had to talk to him. A real talk. She had to make things right. She would make him talk to her, even if it took all night. Even if it took a week, a year, the rest of her life.

Determined, she turned back to look at him. He was already staring at her, his eyes locked onto her face. She brushed this aside and pushed ahead. Now or never. "Hiei, I—"

"Yusuke, Kuwabara! Kurama! Hiei, Akina! Come quick!" The voice that cut through the laughter and jubilation was laced with panic, fear, and horror.

Immediately, every person in the courtyard was on alert. The music cut off and everyone searched for the sound of the voice. Akina and Hiei both jumped to their feet, conversation forgotten, and raced toward the others.

It was Botan. Tears were streaming down her face as she sprinted toward them. "Botan! What's wrong?" Keiko asked, rushing toward her friend.

Botan grabbed onto the human girl, using her to support herself. Her body was trembling violently but she barely seemed to notice. "There's been another attack," she said, her voice shaking.

"Where?" Yusuke asked, all business, coming up beside his Grim Reaper friend.

She looked up at him, body still shaking, tears running in rivers down her cheeks. "In town. There's been a lot of casualties. We don't know how many yet. They keep coming… over a hundred so far… dozens still left…" She stopped and let out a quiet sob. And then, her purple eyes landed on Kurama. "Kurama," she whispered. She looked as though she was filled with unfathomable pain.

Instantly he was in front of her. "What is it, Botan?" he asked, his voice soft. He reached out toward her and she grabbed onto him instead. She clung to him as though he was her only lifeline, staring at him with a tortured expression. "Kurama… your mother… and your step-father and step-brother…"

Kurama was standing so stiffly, he looked as though he might snap in half if someone touched him. His grip on the girl tightened involuntarily. "What is it, Botan?" he repeated, with only the slightest bit more urgency in his voice.

Botan looked up at him through teary eyes. "I'm sorry, Kurama. We can't find them. They're missing. We think they may be dead."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"The first attack was about 5 months ago in a rural town up north. There wasn't any warning. The explosion killed about 100 people."

"How many attacks have there been since then?"

"17. They've moved throughout the countryside, working their way to Tokyo. This one is the biggest one yet. The body count for this attack alone is over 500 and counting."

Akina frowned at Koenma from across the table. "What have you been doing to stop them?"

Teenage Koenma shifted in his seat on the floor, his arms folded across his chest. "Each attack has been in a different location. However, the last 9 attacks have all been in the city. Since there has been some consistency lately, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei have been taking shifts to patrol the city to see if they can find out who is doing this. The problem is, there is no warning before hand, there is no evidence after, and the attacks are done at random intervals so we can't even predict when they will happen."

"So you've found nothing," she murmured to herself, her expression thoughtful.

It was 5:00 in the morning. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Koenma, Genkai, and Akina sat around the old lady's table. Hiei sat by himself in the doorway of the temple, looking into the dark night. Yukina, Shizuru, and Keiko had drifted off to the guest bedrooms several hours ago, birthday party forgotten, unable to help, and too tired and worried to stay awake any longer.

No one was sure where Kurama was. The moment Botan's words had left her mouth the night before – "We think they may be dead" – he had disappeared without a word and no one had heard from him since. The Grim Reaper had then managed to somewhat compose herself, deliver a message from Koenma – "Stay put!" – and then return to the Spirit World to greet the new arrivals from the explosion. Not long after, Koenma himself had appeared to meet with his unofficial team and his new secret Detective.

"When you showed up, I was suspicious. Especially after Hiei attacked you and didn't tell us why," Yusuke spoke up from her right. He sat with his legs stretched out underneath the table, leaning back on the floor on his hands. His large, brown eyes were locked on her, but they no longer held the distrust they had a few days before. "Then the safe house blew up. I thought for sure you'd done it."

Akina nodded, understanding. That made sense. She could understand why he treated her the way he had. These boys were doing their best to stop these attacks and they had nothing. Five months and they had no leads, no evidence, no hints, nothing except the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. She could completely understand that Yusuke would jump to conclusions. Especially since that one night she had come back to the safe-house covered in demon blood.

Yeah. Once she put it all together, it made sense.

"It's just the group of you working on this?" she asked, looking around.

"I help when I can," Kuwbara piped up from his spot next to the former Spirit Detective. He sat with his legs crossed, hunched over with bad posture, hands on the table. "But I go to school. So does Kurama."

"I try to help. I'm training a lot for the next Makai Tournament," Yusuke added.

Akina's glance wandered to Hiei. He continued to stare out the door, not moving, not speaking. Kuwabara spoke up for him. "The runt helps sometimes."

Akina noticed Hiei's lip twitch in a silent snarl at being called 'the runt.' She let out a small, involuntary snort of laughter. He heard this and turned to glare at her. She forced the smile off her face as she stared back at him innocently, her lips twitching as she fought the smile. His eyes narrowed and she had to look away before she laughed.

The old woman spoke from the spot at Akina's left, continuing the conversation. "I haven't. I'm getting old. I thought I was done with this nonsense." She let out a sigh that seemed to rattle her bones. "I guess now's a great time to start."

The cat nodded again. "Okay. Well, you have me. Full time. I will help in any way that I can. I will finish my training and then I am yours. I'll do it in two weeks."

There was a scoff from the doorway. All heads turned to look at Hiei. He was looking out the door again and didn't seem to notice all eyes were on him. "You can't finish in two weeks. You'll kill yourself."

"We don't have a month. I need to be done sooner than that," she replied.

"You're not doing it in two weeks." He turned to look at her. "You have a month. You'll do it in a month."

She frowned at him, confused. Why did it matter to him? And since when did he set the rules? He wasn't in charge.

"Two weeks."

"A month."

"Two weeks!"

"A month."

"Since when do you decide what's best for me? I can take care of myself," she growled starting to get angry and defensive. She clenched her fists on the table.

"Apparently not. Otherwise you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," he replied, voice and gaze even.

She stiffened as straight as a rod and there was a low hum deep in her chest. A growl was beginning to form, deep and low, a clear warning that he needed to proceed carefully. "This is not my fault," she said, voice low and deadly. Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged looks at her tone, but said nothing. By this point, they had seen enough spats between the two former friends to know that they needed to sort out their problems on their own.

"Then whose is it?" he retorted sharply. He hadn't moved from his spot in the doorway. Aside from his tone of voice, one would have thought he was completely relaxed as he leaned against the wooden doorframe. His ruby eyes sparkled dangerously in the light of the temple.

The tension in the air was palpable. Genkai and Koenma stayed silent, merely watching. Like Yusuke and Kuwabara, they knew this didn't involve them. And, beyond that, they knew the answer to the question – Akina had told them when she had explained her situation to them. They also knew that she wasn't likely to give an answer.

As predicted, Akina said nothing, and instead took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. In, then out, in, then out. Slowly, her fists unclenched and she stretched out her fingers. Little half-moons were embedded into the skin of her palms from where her fingernails dug in. She took one more deep breath and opened her eyes. "Two weeks," she said softly, slowly, repeating. "I will be careful."

He studied her for a moment. He could see that she was desperate to regain her training and that she wanted to help with their problem. And really, time was of the essence. Especially since the fox's family…

"Three." His voice was quiet.

She blinked at him, caught off guard. Did he just _compromise_? Hiei, the ever stubborn fire demon… he compromised? Before she could argue any further, or say something to change his mind, she found herself agreeing. "Three," she conceded.

They stared at each other for a moment. Ruby eyes met gold ones and a silent understanding passed between them – a small one, but an understanding nonetheless. While cooperating with her on the length of her training didn't seem like that big of a deal, it spoke volumes to her.

Hiei still cared about her to some degree.

A warm feeling shot from the pit of her stomach and began to flow towards her fingertips and her toes. She had the sudden urge to smile, but she forced herself to stay serious. They stared at each other for one more second before he finally turned away and stared, once again, into the dark night.

"Why haven't there been any reports of these attacks in the news?" she asked, turning her attention back to Koenma as though there hadn't been any interruption in their conversation. The silent exchange between cat and fire demon had lasted less than a few seconds and went unnoticed by everyone else.

"Most of them were ruled as gas explosions or something similar. They were side stories that were tragedies, yes, but nothing to be concerned about. No one has put together that they are all related, until now. There is panic brewing. With that many people afraid, there could be some damage done if we don't solve this quickly," Koenma spoke matter-of-factly but she could tell by his seriousness how dire the situation was.

Akina nodded absentmindedly, recalling several of the stories she had heard in passing or seen on the news. He was right – no one had put the stories together, not even her. But after an explosion this big, it was inevitable they would begin to figure it out.

"It will be nice to have a fresh pair of eyes," the young prince said, calling her attention back to him. She looked up and met his gaze. There, she saw the sternness in his expression, and realized the hidden, subtle message in the sentence he spoke. _'Pay attention__, Detective__,'_ he was saying. _'You are in charge now. This is your case. So take it.'_

So she did. She straightened up and looked around. "I don't think anyone should go back on patrols."

"Why not?" Yusuke demanded.

"I know it helps you feel as though you are doing something, but we have nothing to go on. The only thing you are doing is putting yourself at risk by being out and about near potential targets." She looked both Kuwabara and Yusuke in the eyes as she spoke, trying to sit up straight and command their attention. She wanted to give her own subtle message without telling them outright – she was in charge here. "The best thing we can do is to train me."

Now Hiei was looking at her. "What good will that do?" The words sounded rude, but his tone was genuinely curious.

"Like Koenma said, I am a fresh pair of eyes. I haven't been consumed by this for the past five months. I can look at this objectively. But I am not ready. I will be a bigger help once I am stronger."

'_I also used to be a spy, and a really good one at that.'_

She thought the last sentence, but didn't say it out loud. She didn't tell them she had started – and ended – wars with the information she was able to uncover in her former career of espionage. She didn't tell them she was known for her ability to seek out information, and that she was paid well for it. She didn't tell them that she was so good at slipping into forbidden places, that soon, spying turned into stealing, and stealing turned into killing. She didn't tell them that before long, she had become the most feared assassin in both Demon World AND Human World.

And she didn't tell them all of that ended 50 years ago when she lost everything – her strength, her skills, her abilities, her memories. And though she had managed to regain the last of those, the rest had been just outside her reach. But not anymore. She had a team that would train her in a way she had not been able to by herself.

"Three weeks," she said. "Three weeks and I will be all you need to end this once and for all. Until then, I really don't think anyone should be out alone."

Koenma nodded. "She has a point. Listen to her." And then, before anyone could argue, he was on his feet. "I have to go now. There is a lot I need to do. There are a lot of new souls I must meet with." His voice was sad. With the turn of his red cape, he stepped past Hiei and disappeared into the cool dawn.

"Well, it looks like we've got a lot to do then." Genkai's voice was gravelly, and she looked drained from the lack of sleep. But her age and one night of no rest was not going to stop her. Her pale pink eyes landed on Akina. There were dark circles underneath them, but she seemed to be pushing past her obvious exhaustion. "We will meet in the clearing in half an hour. Bring the Dimwit with you. Hiei, come with me."

Hiei turned to look at the old woman, surprise evident on his face. She clambered to her feet and walked toward him, hands clasped behind her back. In an instant, he was next to her and following her out the door, confused but compliant.

"And then there were three," Akina said softly, looking at the two human boys to her right. "Still no word from Kurama?" she asked, speaking loudly enough for the two to hear her.

Yusuke shook his head. "Nope."

Kuwabara frowned. " Poor guy. I hope his family is okay."

"Yeah. The last thing he needs is to lose them, too."

It was the cat's turn to frown. Who had Kurama lost before? Questions tickled the tip of her tongue and tried to push past her teeth, but she swallowed them back and kept silent. It wasn't any of her business

The more she got to know these boys, the more questions she had. It felt like there were so many secrets lurking in the air above all of them, dangling just out of reach. You could almost reach up and pluck one. For a group that was so close, it seemed like they were afraid to be completely honest and open with each other. And if she already knew of some secrets they were keeping from their own group – Hiei's relationship to Yukina, just to name one – how many secrets were they keeping from her?

* * *

><p>"So, Akina. How long have you known Hiei?"<p>

It was 20 minutes later, and Yusuke and Akina were walking through the forest, both dressed in sweat pants and t-shirts (which Yukina happened to have – she said she didn't wear the sweats much). With nothing to do to pass the time until they were supposed to meet the old lady, they had decided to change and leave early, walking the three miles to the clearing. They had already walked the first mile and a half in absolute silence. The ex-Detective's voice startled her and brought her out of her reverie.

"What?" she asked, looking up at him.

"How long have you known Hiei?" His brown eyes were looking down at her intently, as though he was looking for something.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I told you this the other day, when I told you about how my mom died and how I met him. It's been about 180 years since we met."

He nodded thoughtfully. "And in all that time, you haven't bothered to tell him you love him?"

She missed a step. "Wh-what? What are you talking about?" she stammered, regaining her balance. He stopped walking and stared down at her with a knowing smile. His chocolatey eyes were dancing and it took her a second too long to realize that he was teasing her.

Before she could stop herself, her fist flew out and she punched him in the shoulder. He let out a soft grunt followed by a loud laugh. "Damn it, Urameshi. How long have you known?"

He snickered to himself and continued trekking through the forest, ducking around a low hanging branch of a nearby tree. "We've all known, since the moment you two ran into each other at the safe house for the first time."

Akina felt the blood rush to her face, her cheeks turning hot and red. A lead weight buried itself in the bottom of her stomach as what he said sunk in. "Hiei knows?" she whispered, horrified. Yusuke was already several meters ahead of her but he still heard her soft words and stopped to look back at her.

He chuckled, thinking about how obvious both she and Hiei were about their feelings each other, and how neither of them knew what the other felt. "No, he's oblivious." He turned and started making his way forward again.

Suddenly, he was shoved sideways and pinned against a tree. "What the hell?!" he yelled, completely caught off guard. It took him a moment to realize that the cat had lunged forward and was holding him against the trunk of a pine, her knife at his throat.

"So help me, Yusuke, if you say a word to him, I swear I will gut you," she growled, baring her pointed teeth.

To her irritation, he laughed again. He held his hands up at his sides as far as he could with her pressed to him, as if in surrender. "I won't say a word," he promised.

They stayed that way for a little bit longer, her knife at his throat and him pressed against a tree. Akina's eyes raked over the human, trying to determine if she could trust him. Clearly, he now trusted her enough to poke fun at her. There was no way he would have done that a week ago. She narrowed her eyes and he smiled innocently at her.

Finally, with a huff, she pushed away from him, re-sheathed her knife, and took off into the woods. Yusuke followed along, easily keeping up with her brisk pace. He looked up at the dark sky through the trees as he walked. "It's going to be a great day," he mused.

Moments later, the human and the cat burst into the clearing. Akina still wore a scowl on her face and Yusuke was grinning from ear to ear, obviously still very amused.

Standing in the middle of the empty space was Genkai and Hiei. They stood next to each other – the old lady with her arms folded in front of her, the fire demon with his hands shoved into his cloak. At the looks on the newcomers' faces, Hiei's eyebrow rose slightly in a silent question.

Akina muttered something unintelligible under her breath and shot her predecessor a dirty look. He laughed and punched her lightly on the shoulder. Hiei's eyebrow rose even higher.

"Stop flirting," Genkai snapped. "It's time to get to work." Before either of them could say anything about how they were definitely NOT flirting, Genkai began giving orders. "Step aside, dimwit, or you might get hurt. Akina, stand in front of Hiei."

The cocky, self-satisfied smirk on Yusuke's face fell off as he glared at his mentor, but he didn't say anything as he moved out of the way.

Confused at what was happening, Akina moved to stand before her old friend. He was still staring at her, his expression full of questions about what was happening between her and Yusuke. She just shook her head slightly. As she stood in front of him, waiting for instructions, she felt the weight in her stomach that had appeared at Yusuke's revelation slowly begin to lift. Being this close to Hiei, momentarily without hostility, was surprisingly nice. She straightened up and gave him a small smile. To her left, she heard Yusuke snicker softly, but chose to ignore it.

"Stick out your hands." Genkai stood to Akina's right, facing the space between the cat and the fire demon, her arms folded, her tone clipped and short. Akina held out her hands toward the demon in front of her with no hesitation. She could tell that now was not the time to argue with the old woman.

Without waiting for instructions from the psychic, Hiei moved. He held one hand in front of his face, pointer finger extended upward. Words came from his mouth, but they weren't words she recognized – they were another language. Red demon energy began to glow around his finger tip and, as he continued to speak the strange words, he brought his finger down and began to move it in a circle around both of her wrists. She stared down, transfixed.

The red energy formed a ring around both of her hands and, as he finished speaking the words, the ring contracted, snapping her wrists together hard. Suddenly, it felt as though a huge load had been strapped to her hands. Not expecting his, she yelped as she fell forward, her hands slamming hard into the ground.

"What the hell!" she yelled, trying to stand up to no avail. The new weight on her wrists was too much for her to lift. But instead of answering, Hiei moved behind her and bent down. He placed his hands on either side of her ankles. Before she could ask what he was doing, another red ring appeared and smashed her ankles together. She tottered dangerously but managed to keep her balance.

Using everything she had, she managed to lift her hands off the ground so she was standing up. She glared around at Genkai and Hiei, who was now standing in front of her once again. "What is this, some sort of hazing?" she asked. "Are you going to strip me down, cover me in honey, and tie me to a tree? See if you can lure a bear?"

Yusuke snorted outright at that and Hiei's face turned red as Genkai responded. "No, you moron. These are the demon energy equivalent of Spirit Cuffs. "

"You say that like I am supposed to know what 'Spirit Cuffs' are."

At this point, Yusuke spoke up. "Spirit Cuffs – or Demon Cuffs for you – are weights on your energy. It's like training to run a marathon. You can put weights on your arms and legs and practice with them on. It's hard at first, because you aren't used to the extra weight. But slowly, you build up the muscle until running with them is easy. Once it becomes easy, you put on heavier weights and train with those until it gets easy again, and you keep going. Then, when it is time to run the marathon, you run without your weights. You've been running for so long with the extra pounds that without them, it's like a walk in the park instead. The only difference is that the weights on your energy will increase in weight as you get stronger, so you don't have to physically swap them out."

"So you're saying I'm training with these 'weights' so that I will be stronger when I take them off?" Yusuke nodded. "Well that's all fine and dandy," she snapped, "but I can't even move my arms!"

"They are weights on your energy. You must use your energy in conjunction with your body," Genkai explained impatiently. "They work together to overcome this obstacle so you can move."

Akina glared at her, not in the mood for her attitude. But, without another word, she closed her eyes and pushed against the cuffs around her wrists.

Nothing happened. No surprise there.

Slowly, she began to flare her demon energy. She started out small. Immediately, she could feel her hands begin to move slightly, so she kept going. The more her energy flared, the more she could move. Finally, she was at full power. She opened her eyes and saw her whole body was flowing with the red energy. The light that came from her illuminated the clearing, providing an ethereal glow in the early morning darkness. Her hands and her feet were now fully apart and she was able to move freely. Each wrist and ankle had a red ring around it. Her wrist rings were connected with a thick strand of energy, as were her ankles. The term 'cuffs' suddenly made sense.

"There," she said. As she looked down at her hands and feet, she saw that the cuffs were very visible and very distracting.

Yusuke noticed this and dug into his pocket. He pulled out two stretchy wristbands and tossed them to her. She grabbed for them. This distracted her momentarily and she lost her concentration. Her arms and legs snapped back together and she hit the ground in a puff of dust. Yusuke hooted.

"You must remain at top strength at all times," Genkai noted from above her while reaching over to slap the laughing human.

"Yeah, I got that. Thanks." She closed her eyes once more and flared her energy until she was able to move. Then, she picked up the wristbands. Eyeing them, she asked, "What are these for?"

Yusuke was glaring at his mentor and rubbing his arm as he answered, "Wear them. They cover up the cuffs. I learned that one when the old bag put the chains on me."

Akina grunted and slid the sweatbands over her arms, silently hoping they were clean and hadn't been used recently. Instantly, the cuffs disappeared, bringing the clearing back into almost darkness, but she could still feel them. And oddly enough, the ones around her ankles stopped glowing too. Strange. "If Genkai put them on you," she said, struggling to get back to her feet, "how come Hiei is the one who put them on me?" A bandaged hand appeared in front of her face. She blinked at it, looked up at Hiei, then took it cautiously. He pulled her up to her feet. Once she was up, he dropped her hand as if it had burned him.

"I am a human, you are a demon. The only one around here that is compatible with your demon energy is Hiei. I brought him here so I could teach him how to do it," the psychic explained.

Akina nodded. "Now what?"

Genkai turned and began to leave. "You will start your training right now with Yusuke," she said as she walked away. "Someone else will be by later to take over." By this point, she was at the edge of the clearing, disappearing into the trees. She did not turn to look back. "Remember, you have three weeks." And with that, she was gone.

Akina looked at the two boys standing in front of her. The clearing around them was getting brighter and brighter as the sun began to rise slowly. She was now able to make out more of their features.

"Okay, then. You heard the lady. Let's get started," she said, looking up at Yusuke.

Without a word, Hiei turned and left the clearing, leaving the cat and former detective to their work. Akina watched him go, a small frown on her face, but she said nothing. Instead she shook her head and turned back to Yusuke as he started to speak.

"Alright. Genkai said I'll be helping you control your energy and focus it to a specific point... I think she means like my Spirit Gun... So let's see what you've got!"

She took a deep breath and shook out her hands, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. She'd done this before - in fact, his Spirit Gun wasn't that much different than her own gun. But her energy was so weak these days, she wasn't sure she would even be able to make her finger glow.

Suddenly, before she could charge up and fire, she felt her necklace jingling against her collarbone as she bounced. She stopped. She had forgotten to take it off.

"I'll be right back!" The words were still coming out of her mouth as she dashed into the trees.

Even though the light around her was steadily growing brighter, it was her cat nose that told her which way to go.

He hadn't gone too far yet, maybe 100 feet. He was leaning against what was easily the biggest tree in the whole forest. It towered over them, shooting up like a rocket into the sky. The leaves fluttered in the light breeze, rustling as if they were whispering to the other trees in the forest. The trunk seemed as though it would take at least the two of them holding hands to wrap their arms around it.

Hiei looked up as he heard her approach, and, once he saw her, he pushed away from the tree and stood in front of her, hands in his pockets, expression curious and wary.

She came to a stop directly in front of him. "Can you take this for me?" She reached up and unclasped the chain around her neck. Carefully, she pulled it around and held it in front of her. "I don't want it to get ruined accidentally." The necklace dangled from her fingers as she held it out to him, swinging gently back and forth.

A bandaged hand reached out. Without hesitation, without worrying that he might not take care of her most valuable possession, she slowly dropped the silver butterfly into his awaiting palm and lowered the chain gently on top of it. Long fingers slowly closed over it, wrapping around it like a protective cocoon.

The smile she gave him was one of gratitude. "Thank you," she said softly. He pulled his arm toward him and it disappeared back into the folds of his cloak. "Yusuke is waiting, so I better get back."

His red eyes were locked onto her. They grabbed her gaze and she was unable to look away. Was he trying to see into her soul? Why couldn't she break away from his gaze? It felt as though she was falling into a ruby pool, falling, falling, falling. The uncomfortable part, though, was being unsure if someone was going to catch her or not.

"Be careful, koneko." His voice was quiet and soft, lacking any of the hostility, hatred, distrust, indifference or judgement it had held since they had run into each other at the safe house.

He said it so casually, words that had passed his lips dozens, hundreds of times. Just words. But now they swirled through the air, dancing on the wind like fallen leaves. They spun around her, wrapping around her and squeezing tightly. If she had a human heart, she was sure it would be close to bursting from the overwhelming joy that pounded through her.

"I will," was her soft reply. And with one last glance at her, he jumped up into the gigantic tree, disappearing into the branches as he moved up.

She stood still for a moment, moving only so she could lean against the tree trunk. Her mind was racing - a million, billion thoughts flowing through faster than she could keep track of. Emotions sped through her just as fast – joy, happiness, elation, relief – leaving her slightly breathless.

Koneko.

He called her koneko.

A thought passed through her mind – maybe he said it out of habit. But she knew he hadn't. If it was habit, he would have used his old nickname for her long before now. One could argue, though, that he was too angry with her to use it. But then that would mean he had cooled enough to use it now.

No matter how she looked at it, she could only come to one conclusion: their friendship was salvageable. Not only that, in the short amount of time they had been reunited, they'd already started to rebuild it.

Her Hiei was coming back to her. Yes, there was certainly a long way to go, but she had all the time in the world.

She pushed away from the tree, standing up straight. The sun was now in the eastern sky, just barely above the horizon. The world around her was now illuminated and bright. The smile she wore almost broke her face as she took off to rejoin Yusuke, and she tried not to skip all the way there.

The human boy was lying on the ground in the clearing, his hands behind his head like a pillow. He looked over as she came skidding to a halt next to him. "Geez, took you long enough," he said, jumping swiftly to his feet.

"Sorry. I had something I had to do. Let's get started!" she responded. Without waiting for his response, she began to stretch, pulling her arm across her body. She held it for 10 seconds, then switched to the other arm.

"You good now?" he asked.

A small smile made its way to her face. "Yeah. I'm good."

* * *

><p>"Be careful, koneko."<p>

"I will."

He looked at her for just a second longer before he jumped up into the tree. He landed on a branch not too far up. Without any hesitation, he jumped again so that he was almost out of sight of the cat below him.

Hiei looked down through the branches and saw her leaning against the trunk. She was staring off at nothing and very clearly caught off guard by what he had said.

The fire demon allowed himself the smallest, briefest smile before it slid back off his lips as though it had never been there.

Koneko. His koneko.

The nickname had felt so right in his mouth. The minute the word had escaped from him, the more he realized just how much he needed her in his life. He had come to accept that there must've been something that had made her leave him, a reason that she would give up her best friend and break all contact. But it didn't matter so much anymore and the all-consuming rage he had felt since she had shown up unexpectedly was dissipating. He could see the desperation, hope, longing, and determination in her golden eyes when she looked at him – she wanted to fix their relationship. She wanted to make things right.

He watched as his koneko pushed away from the tree and darted back to her training with Yusuke.

He frowned slightly as she ran. There was something that had happened to her, too. Something that had made her so... weak.

He wasn't sure what it was that had happened, or when, but he knew it had to do with the nightmares she had. The first few nights after they had been reunited, he could hear her tossing and turning through their shared wall of the safe house. Then one night – the last night there before the place had been destroyed – she had woken him when she had started screaming and pleading. Akina, his Akina – the strongest demon he knew, so powerful, confident, and knowing – was begging for her life.

And then –

He absently shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of the recent memory. But the sound of her voice was too much and he could not push it away.

And then, in her sleep, she had called out for him. She had screamed his name, over and over, as though she was in so much pain, begging for him to come save her. Each time his name had pushed through the wall between them, he felt his blood run cold. The sound of her pleading and begging for him to help her, to save her, to come for her, had made him get up and physically leave the house. He had known in that instant, something had happened to her and while she had been suffering – somewhere and sometime unknown – she had called out for him. And he hadn't been there to save her.

His hands clenched reflexively as he thought of that night, listening to her, so near after being away from her for so long. The feeling of something in his hand jerked him out of his memories. Slightly startled, he looked down. Her butterfly pendant – given to her by her mother, who had received it from Youko Kurama, who had stolen it from Koenma – sat in his palm, the chain dangling down.

His fingers curled around it once more and he slid his hands into his pocket.

Akina wanted to fix their relationship.

So did he.

He would make sure that, should she ever be suffering and calling for him, he would be there to hear her.

Of course there was still a long way to go, but he would do whatever it took to make sure they fixed it.


End file.
